Chicory
caramel
mascarpone
layer
cake
If
you
ever
see
me
at
the
supermarket,
chances
are
I’ll
have
a
caramel
mud
cake
in
my
basket.
It
is
my
favourite
mass-
produced
treat
and
resolutely
non-guilty
pleasure.
Alas,
so
many
attempts
to
re-create
it
left
me
disheartened – until
I
dabbled
with
chicory,
a
caffeine-free
coffee
substitute.
When
mixed
with
dark
brown
sugar,
chicory
imparts
butterscotch-adjacent
notes.
The
sticky,
finger-dipping-good
dark
caramel
ganache
really
ties
the
whole
cake
together
so
I
have
allowed
more
than
what
this
cake
needs.
Warm
any
excess
to
pour
over
ice
cream.
Heat
the
oven
to
135°C
(275°F).
Lightly
spray
the
sides
of
two
20
cm
(8
in)
round
×
5
cm
(2
in)
deep
cake
tins
with
cooking
oil.
Line
the
sides
with
baking
paper
strips,
then
line
the
base
with
a
circle
of
baking
paper.
Put
the
butter,
sugars
and
oil
in
the
bowl
of
an
electric
stand
mixer.
Using
the
paddle
attachment,
cream
the
ingredients
on
speed
4
(below
medium)
for
about
4
minutes
until
the
mix
is
pale
malty
brown
and
fluffy.
Stop
and
scrape
the
bowl
side
down
twice
during
this
process.
Swizzle
the
flour,
baking
powder,
bicarb
soda
and
salt
in
a
bowl
and
set
to
the
side
with
a
sieve
ready.
Lightly
whisk
the
milk,
chicory
and
vanilla
together
and
set
aside.
Still
on
speed
4
(below
medium),
add
the
eggs
in
three
batches,
beating
well
between
each
addition
and
scraping
down
occasionally.
Adding
eggs
in
batches
keeps
the
base
fluffy
and
not
looking
like
curdled
soup.
So,
add
some
egg,
and
don’t
add
the
next
batch
until
the
mix
has
re-fluffed.
Remove
the
bowl
from
the
mixer
and
push
the
mix
off
the
paddle
into
a
large
and
wide
mixing
bowl.
Scrape
out
the
remaining
mix,
sift
over
half
the
flour
mix
and
start
folding
with
a
sturdy
plastic
spatula.
When
it
is
almost
fully
incorporated,
fold
in
half
the
chicory
milk.
Repeat
with
the
remaining
flour
mix
then
the
remaining
chicory
milk.
Keeps
For
a
day
at
room
temperature,
then
chill
to
keep
for
up
to
3
days.
Can
freeze
for
3
months.
Makes
A
cake
to
serve
8–16
people.
Takes
2
hours
to
prep
and
bake
the
layers.
Best
to
rest
the
layers
overnight
(minimum
3
hours,
chilled).
Make
the
ganache
early
on
the
day
of
icing.
cooking
oil
spray
330
g
(11½
oz)
unsalted
butter,
squidgy
soft
200
g
(7
oz)
dark
brown
sugar
75
g
(2¾
oz)
caster
(superfine)
sugar
100
g
(3½
oz)
vegetable
oil
320
g
(11½
oz)
soft
plain
(all‑purpose)
flour
15
g
(½
oz/
3
teaspoons)
baking
powder
2
g
(1⁄16
oz/¼ teaspoon)
bicarbonate
of
soda
(baking
soda)
3
g
(¹
⁄
₁₀
oz/
heaped
¼
teaspoon)
fine
sea
salt
150
g
(5½
oz)
full-cream
(whole)
milk
15
g
(½
oz)
chicory
powder
5
g
(⅛
oz/½
teaspoon)
vanilla
paste
250
g
(9
oz)
egg
(approx.
5
eggs),
room
temperature
(or
warm
the
uncracked
eggs
in
warm
water)
continued
…