Melt-in-your-mouth caramel, peanut and chocolate cake

Recipe steps

Prepare the sponge

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture doubles in volume and turns pale yellow. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture, then add the ground almonds and cocoa, stirring gently.

Bake the sponge

Butter and flour a 20 cm round cake tin, then line it with parchment paper. Pour in the batter and bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick: it should come out clean. Let cool completely in the tin before unmolding and slicing into two discs.

Prepare the caramel cream

Heat 150 g of sugar with 2 tablespoons of water over medium heat. Stir until dissolved, then let cook without touching until you get a beautiful amber color. Remove from heat. Whip 250 ml of cream, then gradually incorporate the caramel. Add the crushed peanuts and mix. Let cool at room temperature until thickened.

Prepare the ganache

Bring 250 ml of cream to a boil and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir gently for 3 to 4 minutes until you get a smooth and shiny texture. Let cool in the fridge for one hour, then whisk for 2 to 3 minutes to get a light, spreadable texture.

Assemble the cake

Mix the rum with a little water and soak each sponge disc. Spread the caramel cream on the first disc, place the second one on top (soaked side facing down). Generously cover the top and sides with the chocolate ganache.

Tips and variations

• No rum? Use vanilla extract or strong coffee to soak the sponge.
• Swap the peanuts for toasted hazelnuts for a more refined version.
• For an even more spectacular cake, sprinkle the top with caramelized peanuts or chocolate shavings.