Excerpt
Caramel Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
A very popular choice among my cookbook tasters -- a cake with a unique flavor and stupendous icing, especially winning with the caramel-loving crowd.
Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup Caramel (page 108) plus 1/2 cup water, combined Frosting
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons (I stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly flour two 9 x 2-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with waxed paper.
To make the cake: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the caramel mixture, beating after each addition until smooth.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cake cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the frosting: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, place the brown sugar, cream, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and let cool for about 20 to 30 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat with an electric mixer until the frosting is perfectly smooth. If too thick, beat in a bit more heavy cream.
When cake has cooled, ice between the layers, then ice top and sides of cake.
MAKES 1 TWO-LAYER 9-INCH CAKE; SERVES 10 TO 12. Copyright © 2001 by Jennifer Appel