Gourmets Caramel Pecan Cakes Recipes

CARAMEL PECAN CAKES

Steps:

• Make caramel:
• Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals on side of skillet with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling skillet occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber. Remove from heat and carefully stir in remaining cup water (mixture will steam vigorously and may stiffen). Return to a boil and stir until caramel has completely dissolved. If necessary, simmer until just syrupy, 1 to 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Toast pecans for cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Toast pecans in a 4-sided sheet pan in oven until fragrant and a shade darker, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and coarsely chop.
• Make cake:
• Put 2/3 cup cooled caramel syrup in a bowl (save remainder to use as sauce) and add butter, egg, and cream, whisking well after each addition.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and sugars into a large bowl. Make a well in center, then add caramel mixture and gradually whisk in dry ingredients until smooth. Fold in pecans. Chill, covered, until cold (or 12 to 24 hours for best results).
• Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle.
• Butter and lightly flour ramekins, then cut out and fit a round of parchment paper in bottom of each. Arrange in a 4-sided sheet pan.
• Divide batter among ramekins (about 1/4 cup each; batter will be stiff). Bake until cakes just spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cakes to warm. Reheat remaining caramel. Invert cakes onto plates, then peel off parchment and spoon some of caramel on top.

GOLDEN CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper; set aside.
• Split the vanilla bean in half with a small paring knife, and scrape out the seeds; discard the pod. Add the seeds to the cream in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan; scald the cream and keep the saucepan near the stove so that if the cream cools too much when needed, you can reheat it briefly. In a deep, heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over low heat, blend the corn syrup and the sugar, stirring occasionally until the mixture becomes more fluid and most of the sugar appears dissolved.
• Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and gently boil until a candy thermometer registers 305 degrees F (hard crack stage), about 9 to 12 minutes.
• Add the butter and salt to the sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Pour in the warm vanilla-flavored cream in a slow but steady stream without letting the boiling stop (be careful-mixture foams up and is steamy). Lower heat to medium and continue to boil gently until the thermometer registers about 248 degrees F, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, about 14 to 15 minutes.
• Let the candy stand about 3 minutes to allow bubbling to subside, then pour into the prepared pan without scraping the saucepan; allow to cool at least 5 hours.
• Invert onto a clean cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips; then cut across the strips to form 1/2-inch squares. To apply a patch of gold leaf to each square, use a small artist's brush. With the brush, lift a tiny patch about the size of an oatmeal flake of gold leaf and deposit it on top of the caramels for decoration.
• Cut caramels tend to stick together and not hold their shape unless individually wrapped, so for easiest storage wrap the block of caramels in aluminum foil and cut off portions as needed. Store cut caramels in layers, separated by aluminum foil in an airtight metal or plastic container in a cool place for up to 3 weeks.

GOURMET'S CARAMEL PECAN CAKES

Steps:

• Use 8 (6-oz.) ramekins. Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals on side of skillet with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling skillet occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber. Remove from heat and carefully stir in remaining cup water (mixture will steam vigorously and stiffen). Return to a boil and stir until caramel has completely dissolved. If necessary, simmer until just syrupy, 1 to 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Toast pecans for cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle. Toast pecans in a 4-sided sheet pan in oven until fragrant and a shade darker, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and coarsely chop.
• Put 2/3 cup cooled caramel syrup in a bowl (save remainder to use as sauce) and add butter, egg, and cream, whisking well after each additon.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and sugars into a large bowl. Make a well in center, then add caramel mixture and gradually whisk in dry ingredients until smooth. Fold in pecans. Chill, covered, until cold (or 12 to 24 hours for best results).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees with rack in middle.
• Butter and lightly flour ramekins, then cut out and fit a round of parchment paper in bottom of each. Arrange in a 4-sided sheet pan.
• Divide batter among ramekins, then cut out and fit a round of parchment paper in bottom of each. Arrange in a 4-sided sheet pan.
• Divide batter among ramekins (about 1/4 cup each; batter will be stiff). Bake until cakes just spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cakes to warm. Reheat remaining caramel. Invert cakes onto plates, then peel off parchment and spoon some of caramel on top.
• Cakes can be made 4 hours ahead. Rewarm, individually wrapped in foil, in a 300 degrees oven.

GOOEY CARAMEL PECAN COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350*. Spray 9x2" round baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; spray paper.
• Heat all topping ingredients except pecans in small saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes or until butter melts, stirring frequently. Pour into pan, coating bottom;sprinkle with pecans.
• Beat 6 tbsp of butter in large bowl at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and 1/3 cup brown sugar; beat 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until blended.
• Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. At low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 parts alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending flour mixture. Spread batter over caramel layer.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and top is firm to the touch. Cool on wire rack 8 minutes. Invert onto serving plate; drizzle with any caramel remaining in the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GOOEY CARAMEL-PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch rounds. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat caramels, butter and whipping cream over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. (Or place caramels, butter and whipping cream in 4-cup glass measuring cup; microwave uncovered on High 1 to 3 minutes, stirring once or twice.) Stir pecans into melted caramel. Cool 30 to 45 minutes or until firm enough to spread without running over edge of cake.
• Place 1 cake layer on plate, round side down. Spread with 1 cup of the pecan filling. Top with second layer, round side up. Spread remaining pecan filling into 4- to 5-inch circle on top of cake. Spread chocolate frosting on rest of top and side of cake. Store loosely covered.