The recipe may be found HERE. The only thing I would add is that when making the crunch, it is easier to tip it out of the pot onto a pan lined with parchment paper. Basically, it is a lemon flavoured cinder toffee. The cake was simple enough to do as well. I made my whipped cream a bit sweeter than the recipe called for, and I made a bit more than two cups. Do as you see fit.
The link to the recipe no longer works. Do you have it saved somewhere by any chance?
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ReplyDeleteThey have the coffee version up-just substitute lemon extract for the coffee when you make the cinder toffee crunch. Also, if you Google: Blum's Crunch Cake" you will find a million versions of the iconic cake.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sfgate.com/recipes/thebaker/article/THE-BAKER-Blum-s-Is-Gone-But-Not-Forgotten-2802477.php
First, I’d like to say thanks for sharing the story, Having grown up in California now living in Honolulu, my mom took me to get my favorite “Coffee crunch cake” at Blum’s as long as I was good or bought one for my Birthday. But I wanted to give you what I think is the origin of the first “Lemon Crunch Cake” I am sure it was made famous here in Honolulu.
ReplyDeleteThis is an account from blogger “Courtney” from “Fork to Table”. Who tells of the original Lemon Crunch cake” first made in 1902 in downtown Honolulu, the Alexander Young Hotel is where head baker, Norman Hideo Asao, first created the “Lemon Crunch” Cake. Though the bakery closed decades ago, the Lemon Crunch Cake has stayed a local favorite for years to come. Thankfully there are still two places on Oahu where you can indulge on a slice: at “the Alley” in Aiea and Diamondhead Bakery on Montserrat below diamond head..
Courtney comments:
“Mom and Dad both remember going to the old Alexander Young Hotel bakery as kids, though my Dad said he only remembers “eyeing stuff and drooling”. The floor was covered in black and white tiles and the bakery case was lined with trays of pastries sitting on doilies. Mom remembers it as a fancy place, where the staff donned pink uniforms and white aprons, complete with pink pastry boxes, palmiers, and of course Lemon Crunch Cake.
I loved hearing about my parents’ experiences of the bakery, and it made me realize just how much life has changed for us living in a generation with social media. I couldn’t find a single photo of the inside of the bakery or the pastries they served. Yet platforms like Instagram and Yelp let us see all that and then some. Crazy, right? I hope you all have a wonderful weekend with some fun and relaxing plans ahead! Maybe a little baking perhaps?”
So funny growing up in Cali you tend to think it’s the center of the World, but I will always love Blum’s coffee Crunch. BTW we used To get a chocolate cake version of this from Webb’s bakery in Stockton CA on Pacific Avenue. Where I spent my youth. But Hawaii is home an then my family immigrated in the early 20’s to Oakland and then to the valley now back in HI full circle.
Miss the “City” but don’t think I could afford it now!