Halloween Candy Cake
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
3/4 cup flour
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
5 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
5 1.8-ounce packages Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
3 2.1-ounce Butterfinger bars, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
1/2 cup Reese's Pieces
For cake, preheat oven to 375F. Butter and flour two 9 x 2 " round
cake pans. Grind nuts and 3/4 cup flour in processor until fine.
Using mixer, beat eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until
mixture whitens and triples in volume. Fold in nut mixture. Divide
batter between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake until toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cakes in
pans on rack.
For filling, blend peanut butter, butter and sugar in processor
until smooth. With machine running, add cream through feed tube and
blend until mixture is light and fluffy.
Invert cakes onto work surface. Using serrated knife, cut each cake
into 2 layers. Place 1 cake layer on platter, cut side up. Spread
with 1/3 of filling and sprinkle with 1/3 of chopped peanut butter
cups. Top with second cake layer, cut side down. Continue layering
with remaining filling, peanut butter cups and cake, ending with
cake, cut side down.
For topping, beat cream, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until
almost stiff. Transfer 1/2 cup to small bowl and reserve for
garnish.
Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Press
nuts around base of cake forming a 1 1/2 inch high border. Cover top
of cake with Butterfingers leaving 1/2-inch border. Spoon reserved
whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip; pipe
stars around top edge. Garnish with Reese's Pieces. |