Old Timey Caramel Icing Recipes

OLD FASHIONED CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter and brown sugar until they're incorporated. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the milk.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the icing sugar and vanilla. Whisk vigirously until completely smooth.
• Immediately pour over cake and let set for about five minutes.

LIZZIE'S OLD FASHIONED COCOA CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans
• For the cake: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in stages with 1 1/3 cups water, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Turn the layers out onto racks that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
• For the caramel icing: Mix 3 cups of the sugar and the milk in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil and keep it hot. Caramelize the remaining cup of sugar in an iron skillet. Do this by cooking over medium-high heat and stirring and scraping the pan with a flat-edged spatula as the sugar melts. Continue to cook until the syrup turns to medium or dark brown in color. This occurs at about 320 degrees F to 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Do not scorch the syrup. Stream the syrup into the boiling sugar and milk mixture and cook to the soft ball stage, about 238 degrees F. Add the butter, vanilla extract and baking soda.
• Pour the hot mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat as it cools until the icing is creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Watch the icing because it will go from runny to too thick very quickly. Spread on the cake layers while the icing is still warm. If it becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water.

OLD FASHIONED HOMEMADE CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Mix 3 cups of the sugar and evaporated milk in a heavy 3-quart saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over low to medium heat stirring with rubber spatula so sugar does not crystalize.
• Bring to slow boil and keep it hot.
• Caramelize the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping side of skillet with silicone spatula, until sugar begins to melt.
• Continue to cook until sugar melts and becomes syrup and turns to a medium-golden color.
• Your candy Thermometer temperature will register between 320 degrees F to 350 Degrees F.
• DO NOT SCORCH THE SYRUP
• Slowly pour the syrup into the boiling sugar and milk mixture and cook to the soft ball stage.
• This is about 238 degrees on your candy thermometer.
• Stir in butter, vanilla and baking soda .
• Pour HOT mixture into a bowl and beat with an electric mixer.
• As the mixture cools the icing will become creamy.
• This process takes about 15-20 minutes.
• Keep your eye on the icing as it has a tendency to harden up quick so don't over beat.
• Ice your cake with warm frosting.
• If it begins to harden add a 1/2 teaspoon of hot water at a time.

OLD TIMEY CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• 1. Combine 3 cups sugar and milk in a heavy sauce pan on medium heat. Stir together for a few minutes. Allow to continue to heat.
• 2. While milk and sugar are heating, place a small black iron skillet on med. to med. high heat. Add the 5 tablespoons on sugar. Stir in the skillet until the sugar liquifies and then turns golden brown. It will be bubbling hot.
• 3. Now the milk and sugar should be very hot. Carefully pour in the browned sugar from the skillet. Whisk together and cook for about 15 minutes or until the mixture reached the very soft ball stage. (test by dropping a little off a spoon into a small glass of cool water. When a small soft ball forms, it's ready.)
• 4. Remove from heat and using an electric mixer, mix in 1 and 1/2 sticks cold butter...never margarine! Continue to beat until cooled to spreading consistency.
• 5. If too thick, you can thin by beating in milk a tablespoon at a time. Make sure your cake in completely cooled or this heavy icing may cause the top to split. It'll still taste super though!

HOMEMADE CARAMEL FROSTING

Steps:

• Sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar in a shallow, heavy 3½-qt. Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until sugar is melted and syrup is light golden brown (sugar will clump). Remove from heat.
• Stir together 1 Tbsp. flour and 2½ cups sugar in a large saucepan; add milk, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
• Gradually pour about one-fourth hot milk mixture into caramelized sugar, stirring constantly; gradually stir in remaining hot milk mixture until smooth. (Mixture will lump, but continue stirring until smooth.)
• Cover and cook over low heat 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium; uncover and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 238° (soft-ball stage, about 10 minutes). Add butter, stirring until blended. Remove from heat and let stand, without stirring, until temperature drops to 110° (about 1 hour).
• Pour into bowl of heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Add vanilla, and beat at medium speed (setting 4) with whisk attachment until spreading consistency (about 20 minutes).