Recipe Review - Caramel Cake!

My dear friend Julie posted a picture and recipe  for Caramel Cake on Facebook recently.   I make a caramel cake but it is a time consuming recipe and this one looked easier.  I quickly sent her a message asking if she had made the cake.  I get my best recipes from Julie.  She and I both like to cook...a lot...and cook from scratch.  This may have something to do with the fact that we each raised a house full of boys.

Julie had not made the cake so I decided to do that.  Easy recipe to whip out on a rainy afternoon...

Here is a picture of my finished cake...

 

FYI...here is what it looks like after certain unnamed boys find it...in the far back corner of the kitchen....in the dark...late at night...(noses like bloodhounds!)

 

Here is the recipe....

Caramel Cake:

Ingredients:
3 sticks butter
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter, sugar and eggs together and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, and then add vanilla. Beat in a mixer bowl or with a hand mixer until the batter “ribbons.” Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes and use a toothpick to check to see if it is done. This cake can also be made in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan, which will need to be baked for about 45 minutes. Cool layers on a cake rack before icing.

Caramel Icing

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
1 (16 oz.) box of light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup evaporated milk (canned)
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions: Place butter, brown sugar and salt in a saucepan. Heat, stirring until the brown sugar is well dissolved. Add milk and continue stirring until blended. Let bubble (at an easy boil) for approximately 4 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid sticking. Set hot mixture aside to cool for several minutes. Using mixer, add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. You will see it turn lighter and caramelize. When you’ve reached the desired consistency, ice the cake, placing some of the icing between the layers.

"Recipe from : ElegantDessert.net"

Here are my thoughts... I liked the cake portion.  Although two of my layers might have been a bit drier than they should...I might have been chasing chickens out of the garden when the timer went off. I will forgive them since their eggs helped to make this cake!  Tomorrow I am making a Strawberry Pie (no bake, no jello, whole fruit pie to die for!) so those chickens better behave....they contribute nothing to a Strawberry pie and I won't feel so gracious!

However, the third layer was great.  At least I could taste what it should have ALL been like.

Hint!!! Remember when you are adding flour and milk...always start and end with the flour!

I liked the icing but I think I like my icing recipe more.  This icing recipe resulted in a very mild caramel flavor. This one was much easier though.  In my own recipe, I use white sugar and caramelize the sugar before mixing it  into the rest of the ingredients.  By doing that, you create a much stronger caramel flavor. 

This recipe uses brown sugar.  You heat it but don't caramelize it.  I would try caramelizing the sugar next time before I add the butter and salt.  The boys won't mind if I try it again.

All in all, it's a great recipe and I would recommend it.  Caramel cake is such a traditional southern treat....one of my favorites!

Let me know if you try it or if you have a favorite caramel cake recipe! 

Thanks Julie!  Love you!