Sweet And Salty Cake Recipes

SWEET-AND-SALTY SNACK-FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour and tap out the excess; set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed, scraping down the bowl as needed, until very light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined; continue beating until well blended, 1 to 2 more minutes. Reduce the speed to medium low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla in two batches, until just smooth (it's OK if the batter looks curdled at first-it will smooth out). Stir the batter a few times with a rubber spatula to make sure it's blended.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are browned, the edges begin to pull away from the pans and the centers spring back when pressed, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove the cakes to the rack to cool completely.
• While the cakes cool, make the crumble: Toss the potato chips, cookies, coconut, melted butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl until well coated. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then stir in the chocolate-covered raisins and/or nuts; set aside.
• Make the frosting: Mix the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave, stirring once or twice, until smooth, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Let cool slightly. Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the confectioners' sugar in two batches until smooth and fluffy. Add the brown sugar mixture; beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and spreadable, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Make the ganache: Combine the remaining 1/3 cup heavy cream and the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl; microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, about 1 minute. Let the ganache cool until it's thickened but still spreadable.
• Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 1 cup frosting, spreading it to the edges. Sprinkle with a heaping 1/2 cup of the crumble, gently pressing it into the frosting. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting (this is the crumb coat-it doesn't have to be perfect). Refrigerate until the frosting is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with the remaining frosting. Press some of the remaining crumble around the bottom of the cake. Spoon the ganache over the top of the cake and gently spread, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with the remaining crumble.

SWEET & SALTY PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 10-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil securely around pan., Place cookies in a food processor; pulse until finely crushed. Transfer to a bowl; stir in melted butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in melted chips, milk and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake 45-55 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Top with marshmallows; bake 2-3 minutes longer or until marshmallows are softened. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer., In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter, corn syrup and butter; cook and stir over low heat until blended. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Sprinkle 1 cup peanuts over cheesecake; top with peanut butter mixture., Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled. Remove rim from pan. Sprinkle remaining peanuts over top.

SWEET-AND-SALTY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease three 8-inch or two 9-inch round cake pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
• Pour the Devil's Food Cake batter into the prepared pans and bake as directed.
• While the cake layers are baking and cooling, prepare the Caramel Buttercream, if you have not already done so. Set it aside.
• Once the cakes are at room temperature (or are out of the refrigerator or freezer, if prepared in advance), ice the cakes with the caramel icing, reserving some of the icing for decorating the cake (see Icing a Cake, page 14). Don't refrigerate the cake after finishing the final coat.
• With the cake on cardboard, a turntable, or cake plate and working over a sheet of parchment or waxed paper to catch falling pretzels, gently press the chopped pretzels, a small handful at a time, into the sides of the cake until the sides are thoroughly coated.
• Fit a pastry bag with a medium round tip and fill it with the remaining caramel icing. Pipe dots along the perimeter of the cake top (see Filling a Pastry Bag and Piping, page 11).
• Lightly sprinkle fleur de sel over the tops of the piped dots. Inscribe the cake, if desired, and serve it immediately, or keep it refrigerated, covered or uncovered, for up to 3 days. Bring the cake back to room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.
• Polish your look
• For something slightly more traditional, leave out the pretzels and salt and instead drizzle Caramel Sauce (page 186) over the top of the cake for a pure chocolate-caramel combination.