Caramel Cake

Ingredients

2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour (280g)

2 ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1 ⅔ cups Granulated Sugar (333g)

¾ cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature, 170g)

3 Large Eggs (room temperature)

1 tablespoon Vanilla (15mL)

1 cup Buttermilk (240mL)

1 ½ cups Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

5 cups Powdered Sugar

¼ cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons Vanilla

Caramel Icing Ingredients

3/4 cup granulated sugar (for caramelizing

3 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp plus 1 1/2 teaspoons flour

3/4 tsp salt (if you didn't use salted butter - otherwise leave this out)

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

2 sticks + 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions Cake

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, then whisk together and set aside. Sifting the dry ingredients helps prevent lumps that would weigh down the batter.

Cream the butter and then add the sugar. The mixture should look pale yellow and fluffy when done.

Add the vanilla, then eggs one at a time. Scrape the bowl down in between so everything is evenly mixed.

Add the flour in three batches alternating with the buttermilk to help the butter mixture combine evenly and avoid over-mixing the batter. 

Once the batter is almost combined, manually fold in any remaining butter/flour using a spatula to prevent over-mixing. Then, divide the batter equally between the two pans.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges pull away from the pan. Allow to cool in the pans for about two minutes, then invert layers onto a cooling rack, remove the paper, and set them aside to cool completely.

Directions Caramel Icing

Put 3/4 of sugar into cast iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat.

Let sugar melt and turn into an amber color.

While the sugar is melting, put 3 3/4 cups sugar, butter, flour, salt (if needed) and evaporated milk into large sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Add melted/browned sugar and continue boiling until temperature reaches "soft ball" stage or 232 degrees.

Remove from heat and begin whisking with an electric mixer.

Add vanilla and continue whisking until icing has cooled to a spreadable but not runny consistency (5-7 minutes)

Ice the cake

Note: Makes an 8” 3 layer cake