CARAMEL CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Mix cake flour and sugar together; add egg yolks, water, lemon juice and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• In a large bowl beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until a fine foam forms through.
• Gradually add sugar and continue beating until meringue is firm and stands in peaks.
• Fold batter gently into meringue until just blended; do not stir.
• Gently spoon batter into ungreased tube pan.
• Cut through batter with a knife to break up bubbles and level mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until top springs back when touched.
• Remove from oven; immediately turn over and place tube over neck of funnel or bottle to cool.
• Let stand until cool, then loosen with spatula and place on plate.
• Split cake into four layers.
• While cake is baking, combine sugar, coffee and syrup in a deep saucepan; stir and bring to a boil and cook until hard crack stage or 310 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat and immediately add soda and stir vigorously just until topping thickens and pulls away from sides of pan.
• Immediately pour into ungreased shallow metal pan.
• Do not stir or spread; let cool without moving.
• Knock out of pan and crush into coarse crumbs between sheets of waxed paper with rolling pin.
• Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff.
• Spread half of cream between layers and remainder on top and sides.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, cover cake with crushed caramel candy.