A Toffee Torte

It occurred to me late in the process to take pictures. Maybe next time I will think to show the steps … and the mess. But this cake is worth the extras.

A recipe for Toffee Torte, adapted to make it my own, or as my daughter says, "I strayed." I usually do.

Ingredients:

2 2/3 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1 c. softened butter

1 c. buttermilk

3/4 c. cocoa

2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

2 large eggs

[recipe calls for 2 t. instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 c. boiling water but I used espresso from a coffee maker and added water to equal 1 cup]

10 Skor or Heath bars, or use a bag of the crushed toffee for between layers and 2–3 crushed candy bars for the top of cake

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

1/2 t. coffee granules in 1/2 teaspoon water (optional; I use strong coffee that has cooled)

3 T. light brown sugar

Grease and flour 2 cake pans, 9" round or as pictured, square.

If you dare, use 3 8" pans and cut each layer so that you will have a total of 6 layers. I have done this, and the cake is a lot harder to handle.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk. Then add slowly the 1 c. boiling water/coffee and beat on medium for 2 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees until cake tests done (springs in the middle), about 25-30 minutes.

When cake has cooled completely, slice layers in half.

Filling:

Next beat whipping cream. Add the teaspoon of coffee, then continue mixing, adding 1 T. of brown sugar at a time, beating until stiff.

Place first layer of cake, top side down. Frost with whipped cream and then sprinkle generously with toffee bits. Repeat, ending with top side up of second layer. Whipped cream covers a multitude of mistakes, even uneven layers:)

Frost the sides of cake with the Chocolate/coffee icing first, and then put the remaining whipped cream mixture on top. Cover with crushed toffee candy.

Here's where I change things up. Instead of frosting the whole cake with whipped cream, I make a chocolate/coffee icing.

Frosting for sides of cake:

3 T. melted butter

3 T. cocoa

dash of salt

3 T. half and half

3 T. strong coffee

4 + cups of powdered sugar, blend until consistency for spreading

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Yum. And if you have left-over cake, be sure to put it back in the fridge. You can eat it for breakfast.

Made for special friends on a special occasion, I decided to use my square cake pedestal. But round works, too.

Voila.