French Vanilla Caramel Cake Recipes

FRENCH VANILLA-CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat first 7 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until blended. Remove 1/2 cup batter; place in small bowl. Pour remaining batter into greased and floured 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan.
• Microwave caramels and 2 tsp. water in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 30 sec.; stir. Continue microwaving until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 10 sec. Add to reserved cake batter; mix well. Drop by spoonfuls over batter in pan; swirl gently with knife.
• Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 min. Loosen cake from sides of pan with knife. Invert onto wire rack; gently remove pan. Cool cake completely.
• Beat all remaining ingredients except nuts with mixer until blended; drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with nuts.

FRENCH VANILLA CAKE WITH FRENCH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl until well combined.
• Cream together white sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in egg yolks and beat until incorporated. Add in whole eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat mixture on medium-high speed until very fluffy, and mixture has lightened in color, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the back of a knife to scrape seeds out of both halves, and add seeds to the butter mixture. Set vanilla bean pod aside to use for the frosting. Mix vanilla bean seeds into the butter mixture on low speed until incorporated.
• Add vanilla and almond extracts to the batter and mix on low speed until incorporated. Pour in half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add milk and sour cream and mix until combined. Pour in remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the cake pans and smooth into even layers.
• Place pans into the preheated oven and bake until centers of the cakes spring back lightly when touched, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool in pans for 15 minutes before running a knife carefully around the edges of the pans to loosen. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While cakes are in the oven, begin making the frosting. Add reserved vanilla bean pod to a small saucepan and pour in heavy cream. Place pan over low heat and cook until mixture is just warm, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing into the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes more.
• When heavy cream mixture is chilled, finish the frosting. Place 1 cup butter into a large bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in powdered sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Remove vanilla bean pod from chilled heavy cream. Discard vanilla bean pod. Pour heavy cream into the butter-powdered sugar mixture. Add in vanilla extract and salt. Beat mixture on low speed until cream is incorporated, then turn mixer speed up to medium-high and continue to beat until frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Pipe a layer of frosting to the top of one of the cakes and set 2nd cake on top. Frost cake as desired with remaining frosting.

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.

CREAMY VANILLA-CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°F. Spray springform pan, 9x3 inches, with cooking spray. Sprinkle cookie crumbs over bottom of pan.
• Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, egg whites and vanilla. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Add yogurt and flour. Beat on low speed until smooth.
• Carefully spread batter over cookie crumbs in pan. Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven; cool in oven 30 minutes with door closed. Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• Drizzle caramel topping over cheesecake. Garnish with pecan halves. Store covered in the refrigerator.

CANELéS DE BORDEAUX - FRENCH RUM AND VANILLA CAKES

Steps:

• The day before: boil the milk with the vanilla and butter.
• Take off the heat, allow to cool VERY slightly.
• Mix the flour and sugar together, then add the eggs and egg yolks, pour this mixture in the hot milk.
• Gently mix in order to obtain a fluid and smooth mixture, like a pancake batter, let it cool, then add the rum.
• Place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours to 48 hours maximum.
• When you are ready to bake the caneles: preheat the oven to 250C/495°F.
• Butter the moulds liberally and then sprinkle some sugar in to the moulds.
• Pour the batter in to the buttered and sugared caneles moulds, they should be 3/4 full - NO more.
• Place the moulds on a baking sheet, and cook on high for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 175C/350F and continue cooking for 1 hour at least. (It depends on your oven, it can take up to 1 and a quarter hours!) The tops will have a brown crust when they are ready, and they should still be moist inside.
• Carefully unmould them whilst they are still hot. Allow them to cool.
• Serve with tea or coffee for breakfast, or with a glass of wine or cognac in the late afternoon or evening.