Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Peanut Butter Cup Magic Cake

I decided to try one more adaption of the ever-popular magic cake. Last time I added hazelnut flour, which is more like finely chopped nuts than like a powdery flour. It formed its own layer n the cake.

This time I decided to add peanut butter. And then to gild the lily, I added mini chocolate chips.

I figured the peanut butter would mix in, but the chocolate chips were the wild card. Would they sink or float? Would they melt? What would happen???

It turns out that the chocolate chips sunk to the bottom of the pan. I sort of suspected that. When I made this, I mixed the chips into the batter, But I'd suggest sprinkling them over the top after you've poured the batter into the pan so you can get even distribution of the chips along the bottom. (I've adjusted the recipe with that instruction.)

Peanut Butter Cup Magic Cake
Adapted from Pasteles de Colores
Recipe adaptation © by www.cookistry.com. Do not republish without permission.
4 room temperature eggs, separated
1 tablespoon water
150 g sugar (2/3 cup granulated or 1 1/5 cups confectioner's sugar)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter. melted and somewhat cooled (not hot)
4 ounces flour (about one cup, measured lightly)
2 cups milk at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon white vinegar
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and spray an 8-inch square pan with baking spray. Pyrex is recommended.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks, water, sugar and salt until the mixture is light in color and thickened. Add the peanut butter and beat until combined. Add the butter and beat until combined.

Add the flour in two or three additions, beating it in well each time.

Add the milk and vanilla extract. The mixture will get loose and sloppy. That's fine. Beat it until it's smooth.

In a very clean bowl with very clean beaters (the tiniest bit of yolk or fat will thwart your efforts to get those eggs beaten properly), beat the egg whites and the vinegar to stiff peaks.

Add the whites to the yolk mixture in several additions using with a whisk or one of the beaters from the mixer. You don't want to beat it in, just break up the whites gently while not deflating them.

The source blog has a video for what it looks like, if you need help.

This isn't be like a cake batter. It's pretty wet. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top. They'll sink, but this will ensure that they're evenly distributed over the bottom of the pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until the top is browned and the cake is jiggly but not sloshy.

Let the cake cool COMPLETELY. Give it three bours, or let it cool, them  refrigerate. I don't suggest trying to turn this out of the pan, but if you cut it into squares you should be able to take neat squares out of the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar right before serving.

Since this is more custard than cake, you want to store this in the refrigerator. I thought it tasted best when it was cold, or at least chilly.
Yum