Caramel Peanut Topped Brownie Cake

I know I am on the right track when all the cakes in the pastry shop fail to appeal my husband for my Birthday.

And I know I am doing good when my husband asks me to bake my own birthday cake because nothing feels right at the pastry shop.

And the best part is when I have two new cookbooks from Dorie Greenspan waiting for me to get my hands on...

So on my Birthday I end up doing what I love to do...Bake a Cake!

Latest fascination to bake brownies met caramelized peanuts and I was sold to the idea.

Even if it was not a summery delight, it was caramel topped with salty peanuts. How can you say NO to that?

The recipe was sourced from Baking : From my Home to Yours

Recipe follows:


For the Cake:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Stick Unsalted Butter
1/4 Tsp Salt
150g Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
3 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Sugar
3 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup { I used light Honey instead}
1/2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

For the Topping: 

2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1 1/2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup { I used Honey instead}
2/3 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Salted Peanuts

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 Degree F (170 degree C) and grease eight inch springform pan, and line it with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a bowl, mix butter with chocolate over a double boiler until melted and smooth.

In another bowl whisk Eggs and Sugar until well blended followed by Honey and then Vanilla. Add Chocolate mixture to the eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients slowly to the mixture and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into prepared pan and Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool at the room temperature for about 15 minutes. When the cake is cool, remove it from the pan. Wash and dry the pan and refasten it to the cake for the topping.

For the Caramel Topping, heat Sugar, Water and Honey until just combined. Put the pan on medium flame and let it heat, without stirring until the caramel turns dark brown.

Lower the heat to add Cream and Butter. Be careful to stand away from the pan as the caramel will splash and bubble. Stir to dissolve any lumps.

Add Peanuts to the caramel and pour the mixture onto the cake. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes for the topping to set.

Before serving, run a blunt knife to separate the cake from the pan.