Dulce de Leche and Coffee Glazed Cashew Cake
I knew as soon as I made this cake that it would be added to my repertoire of go-to cakes. Drip, drizzle or pour, but don’t scrimp on the dulce de leche. The coffee-glazed cashews are the pièce de résistance in the cake. Although you can’t help but eat each component by itself, if you have the patience, the whole cake is even better than the sum of its parts.
Makes an 8-inch (20-cm) round cake
Ingredients
- Dulce de Leche Cake
- Canola oil spray, for pan
- 1 1/4 cup (156 g) self-rising flour
- 1/4 cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
Coffee-Glazed Cashews- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey
- 3 tablespoons (39 g) sugar
- 1 cup (146 g) cashews
For Assembly- 1/2 cup (112 g) dulce de leche (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions:
Make the dulce de leche cake:
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Preheat the oven to 340°F (171°C). Spray the base and sides of an 8-inch (20-cm) round, 3-inch (7.5-cm)-deep cake pan with canola oil and line the base with parchment paper.
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Into a medium-sized bowl, sift the self-rising flour, all-purpose flour and cinnamon. Stir them together and set the bowl aside until needed.
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In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
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Fold in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, until just combined.
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Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven. Set it aside for 10 minutes, then gently run a blunt knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the coffee-glazed cashews:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a small saucepan, combine the water, coffee powder, honey and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, then add the cashews. Give the mixture a good stir until all the nuts are evenly coated.
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Spread the cashew mixture in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then stir. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the nuts to cool completely on the baking sheet. Break into small pieces and store in an airtight container until needed.
Assemble:
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In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the dulce de leche for 8 to 10 seconds to lighten it.
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Give it a good stir. Pour it over the top of the cake, allowing some to drip off the edges.
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Allow to set for about 10 minutes, then decorate the top with the coffee-glazed cashews. The cake is best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warm.
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