The Phoenician Crunch Cake

One of my favorite events I look forward to each year is the Herndon Ward Spaghetti Dinner and Cake Auction.  I have been going for 5 or 6 years now and enjoy time with friends in our yearly catch up!  Normally I hear about the event last minute, but this year I heard with enough time to have U. Mike sign me up to donate a cake.  Not knowing what to do, I made the cake I made just a few weeks ago for Easter, the Phoenician Crunch Cake. 

Tip: When wanting a meal to sound more exotic or tastes better, I suggest naming the dinner by the main ingredients.  Don't trust me?  Compare menu names from Denny's/IHOP to Volt in Frederick, Maryland or Tru in Chicago.

This tip I did when I put on the card what the cake was.  The cake ended up selling for over $100.  There was such a demand and a bidding war for the cake that Bishop Brody asked if I would make a 2nd cake that would be matched at the highest bid, which I agreed to. 

Congrats Herndon Ward Youth on a successful ward activity and I hope that the summer events are fun!

Now, the 2nd half of the story - I posted this exciting news on facebook and had the largest amount of response.  People are asking for the recipe.  Now everyone - a chef never reveals her secrets - so this is a once in a life time kind of event.  Enjoy!

Phoenician Crunch Cake

What is needed:

Butter Yellow Cake Mix
Sea Salt Caramel
Grapenuts
Chocolate Gnache

Cake:
For time and ease, I suggest using a boxed cake mix.  Now, I do have and use my own homemade cakes.  If one is wanted let me know.  As the cake is already heavily involved, this is a simple way to lesson the amount of work on the cake.

I normally bake my cakes using 8 or 9 inch rounds.

Chocolate Gnache:
1 lb bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
*This cake calls for 1.5 times of this recipe, keep recipes separated.

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler over medium high heat to evenly melt the chocolate.

***Word of caution***

DO NOT LET EVEN 1 DROP OF WATER GET INTO THE CHOCOLATE

If even 1 drop of water gets into the chocolate, the chocolate will freeze up and become completely unusable.  You might as well throw it out.  Flavor, texture, and pliability, everything becomes unusable.

While the chocolate is melting place the whipping cream in a smaller saucepan and heat to a soft boil.

Combine the melted chocolate with the hot whipping cream and thoroughly mix together.

-Use 1/2 of a recipe and combine with Grapenuts.  I do not have an exact amount.  Add by sight so that there is not excess chocolate, but that the Grapenuts are thoroughly coated.

Set aside.

Caramel:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and corn syrup, and stir consistently until the mixture comes to a boil.  (This can take 5 minutes or so.)  Make sure to wash down the sides of the sauce pan several times to prevent crystallization of the sugar crystals. 

Place a candy thermometer in the pan and cook mixture to 305 degrees Fahrenheit .  DO NOT STIR!  (This can take upto 15 minutes.  Watch carefully as the mixture can stay at a low temp for several minutes and then in a blink of an eye burn.  BE CAREFUL!) 

Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/2 Tbsp butter.  Return pan to heat and add the remaining butter a little at a time.

In a medium sauce pan heat the cream.  Slowly add the cream to the sugar mixture and continue cooking until the mixture registers apx 210 degrees Fahrenheit.  Stir consistently. 

Remove the pan from the heat and add the salt and vanilla then let stand for a few minutes.
The mixture will be thin - which is what we want - but this will allow the caramel to slightly set.

Construction:
With a serrated knife carefully cut the top of the cake to make a flat top.  This will aide with the cake and the layering.

Torte/cut the cakes in half to layer.  Poke small holes into the cakes with a fork all over the surface of the cake.  Take the caramel sauce and poor over the cake.  Use a spoon to spread the caramel evenly/smoothly over the entire surface. 

Phoenician Crunch Cake

Place 1 cake round to form the base and then spread over the gnache covered Grapenuts in the center.  Make sure the Grapenuts are evenly spread throughout the cake and goes all the way to the edges.  Repeat with another cake layer and Grapenuts.  As the cake grows in height use your hands to press down on the outside edges of the cake.  This allows the cake to become level. 

Layer as many times as you want - that's the nice part as there is no right or wrong.  I use 7 layers.  Why?  It's an odd number.  The only important thing to remember is to end with cake.

With the plain gnache cover the sides and the top of the cake.  Once the cake is covered generously with the gnache I then use a swirly design to add texture to the cake. 

Allow the chocolate to set.  I then place the cake in the refrigerator to chill.  Serve and enjoy.  It's a heart attack of yumminess!