Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake (Tuesdays wth Dorie)

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Tammy of Wee Treats by Tammy chose Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake from Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Tammy has the recipe or you can find it on page 264.

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
I made the brownie in a 9" springform but the recipe called for an 8" pan. Unfortunately, the edges came out a bit dryer than I wanted, and that's my fault. I didn't adjust the baking time!

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
Making the caramel sauce...it always amazes me when a few simple ingredients becoming full of deliciousness. Water and sugar are heated (without stirring) until it gets golden brown...

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
...then butter and cream are added to the caramelized sugar mixture. For this recipe, we added salted peanuts.

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
Dorie had us wash out the springform pan and put the cooled cake back into it...but I didn't find that this made much of a difference and will probably skip this step next time.

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
The topping was a bit lava-like and oozed the magma caramel goodness back onto the tray, but it was still yummy (if you stayed away from my dry edges).

Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers! Remember, if you want to join us in baking our way through Dorie's grand book, you need to join by the end of October!

Next week: Biscotti! This will be the first time I'm making these...and just in time. See, the Starbucks near my work is closing on November 7th. My co-workers and I have been dreading this. And I don't even drink coffee!! But it is only place within walking distance that serves tea, grapefruit Izze soda, biscotti!!! and a pretty decent turkey pesto sandwich. I know some people think Starbucks is evil, but this Starbucks didn't force out a mom-and-pop coffee place as there is a complete lack of food in our area...and my co-workers and I have gotten to know all the employees and will miss them (most are going to move to a different store). I guess we'll have to open up a coffeeshop in the library and make our own biscotti!
Pin It!

51 comments:

CB said... [Reply to comment]

I am so surprised that your Starbucks is closing. I have 3 starbucks less than a mile from me and each other and they are all doing well. What is the economy coming to if Starbucks can't stay afloat? :( On a happy note... Love seeing the progression of your caramel in pictures! Great job!
Clara @ iheartfood4thought

Engineer Baker said... [Reply to comment]

Your caramel looks like it was the perfect color - awesome job! I loved how everything oozed everywhere though, quite tasty :)

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I am sorry your starbucks is closing. I love my starbucks..I can walk there from home and in the warmer months sometimes go every day. On to your other posts, OK, totally agree...the banana crunch muffins rock...they are way better than other muffin-y products. I agree about our friend -the lemon curd..you can't marry it because I am already standing in line for him :). There is a french open air market in my hood every summer where they sell an illegal but super good raw egg based unpasteurized lemon curd...it is like a speak-easy where you have to give cash and ask where the secret area is....yum.

The Blonde Duck said... [Reply to comment]

The topping looks so creamy!

words...words...words... said... [Reply to comment]

I was reading the blog Apples and Butter and saw you make a comment about Surfas...that's when I knew I had to come read yours, too! I was not disappointed :) Your pictures are tremendous and your choices are really interesting.

Marthe said... [Reply to comment]

Well... despite the edges turning out a bit dryer than you would have liked, your cake still looks very tasty!

Pamela said... [Reply to comment]

The caramel on your cake looks perfect and I will definitely try it again! I love the way it's oozing back onto the plate. Yum!

Amanda said... [Reply to comment]

Wow your looks so good! I'm making mine this morning, so wish me luck. :)

Jamie said... [Reply to comment]

The caramel looks amazing! Sorry about Starbucks :(

Isabelle Lambert said... [Reply to comment]

c'est superbe :)

Peggy said... [Reply to comment]

Your perfect caramel. Yum. Mine was a total disaster. I'm embarrassed, but I'm learning. My cake was also dry around the edges.
Great job!!

Nikki57 said... [Reply to comment]

Ohh your ooey gooey caramel looks fab!

Jules Someone said... [Reply to comment]

Nice job on the caramel! Your cake looks lovely.

April said... [Reply to comment]

Great photos! I love the way the caramel is spilling over in the last one. Sorry about loosing your Starbucks! I might cry if my coffee shop closed.

mimi said... [Reply to comment]

your cake looks great and the caramel is such a nice dark amber color.

Steph said... [Reply to comment]

Beautiful pics! I'm impressed you were able to take the carmelizing of the sugar. Those moments were so intense.. trying not to burn the sugar and you had time to snap some shots!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Very cool sugar cooking pictures. Lava goodness all around!

Di said... [Reply to comment]

Lovely caramel--mine oozed, too. Oh, and my edges were dry too, even though I did use an 8" springform pan. Go figure. Your cake looks delicious!

Jenny said... [Reply to comment]

Holy cow, your pictures are out of control in a very good way! Loving this!

Cathy said... [Reply to comment]

Our closest Starbucks is closing as well -- isn't it awful? What will I do without that drive-thru when I have all three kids in the car? It sure will be nice to be able to make our own biscotti in light of that. Your pictures are beyond fabulous -- great caramel progession pictures! Your cake is utter perfection.

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said... [Reply to comment]

Yum! I am glad to see that mine wasn't the only one that oozed! You pictures are beautiful!

vibi said... [Reply to comment]

Wow! I love the last picture... like the valley of the shadow of doubt!
That's actually where I went after eating almost a third of that cake! LOL LOL
Great pics... great job!

Mary Ann said... [Reply to comment]

Your pictures are beautiful- I love how the caramel just floods the plate!

tavolini said... [Reply to comment]

oh. my. goodness.

That looks fantastic!

Prudy said... [Reply to comment]

Sorry your losing your starbucks. Your cake looks wonderful with that oozing caramel.

Beth G. @SweetLifeKitchen said... [Reply to comment]

Yours is beautiful!! There are lots of 'Bux closing here in LA too...I love making biscotti, (every year at xmas!) and can't wait for next weeks challenge! :)

Maria said... [Reply to comment]

I love all of the photos! The caramel turned out perfectly!

Carol Peterman/TableFare said... [Reply to comment]

Oooh, you took your caramel nice and deliciously dark like I like it! I didn't bother putting the cake back in the springform and it was fine. A heads up on the biscotti for next week; I made them yesterday and didn't find that 15 minutes for the first baking was enough. I think they need to be fully set in the first baking so they don't fall and then puff up in a funny way on the second baking.

Shelby said... [Reply to comment]

Your cake looks great AND I love Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. I have to drive an hour to get one though. :(

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Your photos are so so so beautiful!!! Loved them
And the cake looks amazing too =)
Sorry you Starbucks is closing...

Susan @ SGCC said... [Reply to comment]

Your cake looks awesome! Total decadence!

TeaLady said... [Reply to comment]

Caramel lava flow. UUUHHHH!!!! It looks fantastic. Great job

hoagiefest 2020 said... [Reply to comment]

Oh wow! Your caramel looks extra-dark and extra-flavorful! Awesome! If my Starbucks closed, I'd lose all motivation to get out of bed in the morning. I'm sorry for your loss.

Tammy said... [Reply to comment]

yum! that looks just perfect. thanks for making my pick!

steph- whisk/spoon said... [Reply to comment]

mmmm...peanuts in a sea of caramel. looks delish! i read a couple months age that starbucks had a lot of store closings planned. 2 have closed near me in sydney recently...both just outside major train stations. seems like they should have gotten enough foot traffic to be profitable shops.

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Fantastic photos of the caramel - it looks like everything turned out great!

Mari said... [Reply to comment]

Love your process pix!

spike. said... [Reply to comment]

I love the caramel action shots!

Linda said... [Reply to comment]

I am so impressed that you captured the caramel making process on film...this is no easy feat!!!

To answer your Qs:
- I did get the baking liners at Surfas. They were a bit spendy ~$5for 18 liners, but I like how they make the baked goods look.
- Regarding lighting, I do use a Lowel EGO light, but for this week's pictures, I also used a plain 'ole desk lamp to highlight the caramel. If you're interested in purchasing a lightbox, I think amazon has the best deals...here's the link... http://www.amazon.com/Lowel-Digital-Imaging-Tabletop-Fluorescent/dp/B0009K50RO/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1223481664&sr=8-1

I hope this helps!
Linda
wwww.tendercrumb.blogspot.com

kimberly salem said... [Reply to comment]

that is so surprising about the starbucks... seems like i always see them opening, but not closing down. sad :(
awesome job on the cake, it looks so great! i overbaked mine, so it didn't really sink in the middle... i wish it had so the caramel would have stayed on top!!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I am so impressed that you can take pictures while making caramel. A true pro!

Rachel said... [Reply to comment]

You make the caramel sound so easy! Sigh. Yesterday was just not my day. Your cake was beautiful though!

Heather B said... [Reply to comment]

Great pictures! I love the oozing caramel!

Damaris @Kitchen Corners said... [Reply to comment]

thanks food librarian for leaving a comment on my blog. I love your blog by the way. I wrote about it yesterday on twitter how your pictures are amazing. Do you twitter? I would love to follow you.

Jacque said... [Reply to comment]

Mmmm, your cake is picture perfect! I like the caramel in progress shots... very nice.

Satisfying my Sweet Tooth said... [Reply to comment]

Your cake looks beautiful. I can't wait to do biscotti's next week!

Jacki said... [Reply to comment]

Starbucks closing?? What is this world coming to?? The topped brownie cake looks so good I could almost eat the photo! There goes another few pounds!!

Shari said... [Reply to comment]

Great step-by-step photos!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I have a starbucks right behind my house. I hear a lot of them are closing. Your caramel looks perfect!

Cherie
*Weekly Giveaways on my blog!
http://www.craftyjuicebroker.wordpress.com

*Sale in my Etsy Store!
http://www.craftyjuicebroker.etsy.com

Jaime said... [Reply to comment]

i love the last photo...mine oozed into the cut areas too...oh well. it was still delicious

KK said... [Reply to comment]

loving anything that's "lava-like"...

Post a Comment

Blog Widget by LinkWithin