This week’s #SundaySupper is a dream come true for me. My
fellow bloggers are posting about three of my favorite foodie treats: cheese,
cake and cheesecake! What could be better than that?
While I love all types of cheese and cheesecake, this theme
gave me a good reason to make an old-fashioned caramel cake, a recipe I’ve
wanted to try for quite a while. I don’t remember ever having this traditional
southern cake in the past, but it seems like an old-fashioned recipe to me,
perhaps because many versions I came across in my research were described
as ones made by grandmothers for generations.
I became intrigued with caramel cake when I saw this recipe
made on an episode of
The cake itself is just a traditional butter cake. The key
is to use a recipe that creates a somewhat dense cake that will support the frosting
and one that is not too sweet to balance out the very sweet caramel frosting.
The original recipe calls for buttermilk. Since I hate buying buttermilk just
for the small amount needed in a recipe, I used the substitution of whole milk
mixed with a little white vinegar.
Many frosting recipes call for heating the sugar and butter
to the soft ball stage. What I like about the ATK
recipe is there’s no thermometer to watch. The trick is in actually frosting
the cake. After mixed, the frosting is still warm and somewhat runny. The key
is to let it cool enough to frost the cake, but not so much it sets up.
This cake was a hit with everyone who tried it. I love the
way the delicious caramel frosting gets a sugary crust on the outside after it
sets but remains creamy on the inside. The frosting also helps keep the cake
moist.
Old-Fashioned Caramel Cake
Adapted from recipe from America’sTest Kitchen
For the cake:
1/2 cup whole milk1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
4 room temperature eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
For the frosting:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, cut into pieces and
softened2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter
and flour 2 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set
aside.
In a medium bowl, pour in the whole milk and vinegar, and
allow to sit for 5 minutes. Then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, baking
powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine. With the mixer on low, add the
butter a piece at a time until it mixes in and creates a sandy texture with
only small pea-sized butter pieces left. Pour in half of the milk and egg
mixture and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy. Slowly pour in the rest
of the milk/egg mixture and mix until combined.
Pour equal amounts of the cake batter into the prepared cake
tins. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center
comes out clean. (One of my pans took 25 minutes, the other took 28 minutes.)
Allow the cakes to sit in the pans for 10 minutes, and then turn them out onto
cooling racks to cool completely.
To make the frosting, place 8 tablespoons of butter and the
brown sugar and salt into a large saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring just
to a boil. Whisk in the cream and bring the mixture back to just a boil. Remove
from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
Pour the butter/sugar mixture into the bowl of an electric
mixer. On low speed, slowly add the confectioners’ sugar until blended. Then,
on medium speed, beat the mixture for 5 minutes until the frosting is a pale
brown color and still warm but not hot. Add the rest of the butter, a piece at
a time, and beat until the butter is melted and the frosting is light and
fluffy.
Place one of the cakes on a serving plate. Spread the
surface with some of the frosting, and then add the other cake on top. Frost
the rest of the cake, working quickly before the frosting sets. Allow the
frosting to set on the cake a few minutes before serving.
Here’s what my fellow food bloggers made for today’s theme.
Join in on the #SundaySupper Twitter chat tonight at 7 p.m. EST to discuss all things cheese, cake and
cheesecake. Just follow the #SundaySupper hash tag and remember to include it
in your tweets during the chat. You can also check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for a
lot of great, delicious recipes to enhance your own family meal.
Cheese:
Cakes:
- Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks
- Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake by Gourmet Drizzles
- Dairyfree Ice Cream Cake by Galactosemia in PDX
- KitKat Chocolate Cake by The Urban Mrs.
- Old Fashioned Caramel Cake by There and Back Again
- Peanut Butter Banana Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chips by Gotta Get Baked
- Flourless Chocolate Bean Cake by Vintage Kitchen
- Dense Chocolate Cherry Cake by What Smells So Good?
- Tequila Lime Cupcakes by Mama Mommy Mom
- Almond Polenta Cake by Shockingly Delicious
- Salmon Cakes by Family Foodie
- Banana Split Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze by NeighborFood
- Kit Kat Cheesecake Brownies by Chocolate Moosey
- Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake by Daily Dish Recipes
- Nutella Cheesecake Brownies by The Foodie Army Wife
- Individual Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecakes by Small Wallet Big Appetite
- Grasshopper Cheesecake Bars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Chocolate Covered Cherry Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
- Mini Toddler Cherry Cheesecakes by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
- Mocha Cheesecake by The Lovely Pantry
- Lime Cheesecake Bites by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- No-Bake Banana Sundae Cheesecake by The Messy Baker
- Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Crusts by Cupcakes and Pearls
- Savory Shrimp Cheesecake with Herbs and Garlic by Food Lust People Love
- Cheesecake au Baileys by Baker Street
- Tiny Turtle Cheesecakes (No Bake) by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes by Cookistry
- Chocolate Cheesecake Bites by Mom, What’s For Dinner?
