Caramelly Goodness Of A Cake

Caramel is one of the flavors I love a lot. So the Daring Bakers' Challenge to make Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting seemed to be just the right thing. And was even more excited to start this month's challenge because this would be the first recipe I'd make using my brand new Kitchen Aid Mixer!!! Yes my dream machine was an anniversary gift from my brother-in-law and sister-in-law (A gift for the ones who cook and the ones who eat :) ). I was so glad the challenge was a recipe which required me to use this machine!

The recipe itself seemed easy but from the forums I knew beforehand that this would be a dense cake. The cake did turn out dense and there was more than enough butter in it for me to think that the fat to cake ratio was healthy by any stretch of the imagination. The batter and the cake were both delicious. Great caramel flavor! But then came the frosting. The frosting was really sweet for my taste (and I have a really sweet tooth!). In short, I will definitely make the cake again with a revised method that I saw on Martha Stewart's show (courtsey of a fellow Daring Baker). I will skip the frosting. It was much too sweet for my taste. Here is the recipe:

CARAMEL CAKE

✅ INGREDIENTS

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature

✅ INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy. Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed.
Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.
Sift flour and baking powder. Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients.
Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan. Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or till the sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cakes completely before icing it.

CARAMEL SYRUP

✅ INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelization process)

✅ INSTRUCTIONS

In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber. When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back. Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers.

CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

✅ INGREDIENTS

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste

✅ INSTRUCTIONS

Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool. Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.

Jyotsna