Name: Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces/298 grams) sugar; 1/4 cup brewed coffee; 1/4 cup light corn syrup; 1 tablespoon baking soda; 1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) sugar; 1¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) cake flour; 1½ teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; 5 large eggs (2 whole, 3 separated), room temperature; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice; 2 cups heavy cream , chilled; 6 tablespoons (2⅔ ounces/76 grams) sugar; 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 17, 2017

Yield

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

Coffee Candy

1 ½ cups (10 ½ ounces/298 grams) sugar ¼ cup brewed coffee ¼ cup light corn syrup 1 tablespoon baking soda

Cake

1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) sugar 1¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) cake flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 5 large eggs (2 whole, 3 separated), room temperature6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice

Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy cream, chilled6 tablespoons (2⅔ ounces/76 grams) sugar 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Before You Begin

You can use our recipes for Lemon Chiffon Layer Cake and Coffee Whipped Cream Frosting recipes or use your own.

Instructions

for the coffee candy

Grease 8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing excess to overhang pan edges; grease parchment. Heat sugar, coffee, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture registers 310 degrees. Stir in baking soda until incorporated, about 20 seconds (mixture will puff up significantly). Pour mixture into prepared pan and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Once cooled, remove coffee crunch block from pan, place in large zipper-lock bag, and seal. Using rolling pin, crush into bite-size pieces; set aside.

For the cake Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pan. Set aside 3 tablespoons sugar. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar together in large bowl. Add 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks, melted butter, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice and whisk until smooth.

Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip remaining 3 egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add reserved sugar and whip until glossy, soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Using rubber spatula, stir one-third of whites into batter. Gently fold remaining whites into batter until no white streaks remain.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.

for the whipped cream

Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes.

Using long serrated knife, cut 1 horizontal line around sides of cake; then, following scored line, cut cake into 2 even layers. Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment paper to keep platter clean. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 2 cups frosting evenly over top, right to edge of cake. Top with second cake layer, press lightly to adhere, then spread remaining 2 cups frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Gently press crushed coffee crunch all over cake. Carefully remove parchment strips before serving.