Classic Southern Caramel Cake Recipe 425

CLASSIC SOUTHERN CARAMEL CAKE RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 9-inch cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottom of each cake pan with a circle of parchment paper. The parchment paper makes it easier to get the cake out of the pan. Beat butter until light and fluffy and then add sugar and beat for about 5 more minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well after each. Add flour and buttermilk, alternately, beginning and ending with flour and mix well after each. Add vanilla and beat well. Divide among pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Turn out of pans onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely. Prepare Southern Caramel Icing as cakes are cooling then frost the cake. FROSTING: Mix all ingredients in a 3-4 quart cast iron dutch oven. Swirl pan to keep ingredients moving in the pan. Cook to softball stage 235º - 245º on a candy thermometer or when tested in a cup of cold water. Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon until creamy and ready to spread. No thermometer? Do the cold water test: Take a some of the caramel and drop it into a bowl or cup of cold water. Give it a few seconds to cool. Fish around in the bowl or cup of cold water and try to retrieve the caramel and make a little ball with it. If you stick your fingers into the bowl, pull out a gooey mess and you can't do anything but smear the caramel, you need to boil the caramel some more. There is still too much water in your caramel and the concentration of sugar is too low. The caramel may even form little threads in the water, but if you cannot get the threads to form into a ball, you have some more boiling to do.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN CARAMEL CAKE RECIPE - (3.8/5)

Steps:

• CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch cake pans and add optional parchment paper. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat for 5 more minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well after each. Add flour and buttermilk, alternately, beginning and ending with flour, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat well. Divide among pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes until set. Turn out of pans onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely. FROSTING: Mix all ingredients over medium-low heat in a 3- to 4-quart cast iron dutch oven. Swirl pan to keep ingredients moving in the pan. Cook to softball stage, 235ºF to 245ºF on a candy thermometer, or when a drop forms a soft ball in a cup of cold water. Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon until creamy and ready to spread.

CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
• Cream white sugar, 1 1/2 cups butter, and eggs together in a bowl. Beat well.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add to the sugar mixture alternately with milk. Add vanilla extract. Beat until batter makes ribbons when falling from the whisk or beater. Divide batter among the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool layers on a rack before icing, at least 1 hour.
• Combine brown sugar, 1 cup butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until brown sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add evaporated milk and continue stirring. Bring to a gentle boil and let bubble for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 5 minutes.
• Mix confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract into the butter-milk mixture using an electric mixer until icing caramelizes and thickens to the desired consistency.
• Spread icing onto the cooled cake layers. Stack layers; ice top and sides.

SOUTHERN CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Use the first 10 ingredients for the cake.
• Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium sized bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray OR grease and flour them.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream 1 cup unsalted butter, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and 2 1/2 cups sugar on high until fully incorporated and light and fluffy, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Turn mixer to medium speed and mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until well incorporated.
• Add in vanilla extract and mix.
• With the mixer on slow speed, alternate adding in flour mixture and sour cream, ending with flour until mixed through.
• Do not overmix.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
• Bake in preheated oven for 23-30 minutes or until fully baked. (Over-baking will dry these cakes out).
• 11. Place on cooling rack for 10 minutes.
• Remove cakes from pan and cool completely.
• Use last four ingredients for Caramel Icing.
• Add butter, evaporated milk, and 2 cups sugar to saucepan over medium heat until everything has melted together.
• Leave over medium to low heat, stirring periodically, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn) until thickened and caramel has darkened to a golden brown. It should coat the back of a spoon. Reduce heat while cooking if necessary to prevent burning.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
• Cool for 15 to 20 minutes before icing the cake.