Brewed Awakening
Savory Smoked Bacon and Coffee Layered Cake with Cheddar Sour Cream Ruffles Crust
1 hour
Serves 4
DinnerItalianNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take
Ever wondered what happens when Italian torta meets your breakfast cravings at midnight? In this playful, savory gâteau, espresso, bacon, and those iconic chips unite under a tangy cheddar-sour cream glaze. Prepare for a flavor plot twist worthy of a culinary whodunit.
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment.
- 02In a skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- 03Place cheddar and sour cream Ruffles in a zip-top bag and crush into pea-sized bits. In a bowl, mix crushed chips and 2 tablespoons melted butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- 04Press chip mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even crust. Bake for 8 minutes, then cool while prepping the batter.
- 05In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- 06In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, coffee, remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, and mayonnaise until fully combined.
- 07Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in cooked bacon and half the cheddar.
- 08Spread batter gently over cooled chip crust, smoothing the top. Sprinkle remaining cheddar over the surface. Bake 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 09Cool gâteau in pan for 10 minutes, then release and remove springform ring. Let cool completely on a rack.
- 10Whisk together sour cream and 1/4 cup mayonnaise until smooth. Spread this glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Garnish with chives and a few extra crushed Ruffles for drama.
- 11Slice into wedges and serve as a savory dinner centerpiece or with a simple green salad.
Want your own recipe?
Toss me some ingredients in the Recipe Lab and I'll invent three recipes on the spot. Just for you.