CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMEL FROSTING

Once again, it is that very special time of the month when we, The Daring Bakers, proudly blog about our latest baking challenge and it's outcome. It is always a very exciting moment as we all get to see the marvelous creations of the other members and also, because the nature of the next challenge will soon be revealed...

To tell you the truth, when I first had a glimpse at the November recipe, I thought that it was not going to be my most unforgettable and memorable cake ever baked as a DB. I stupidly believed it would just be a good cake, nothing more... Well, I'm glad to inform you that fortunately, I was awfully wrong (only idiots don't change their mind)!

The apparent simplicity of the recipe can be quite misleading even if there is one major difficulty (not for me, though) residing in the making of the "Caramel Sauce". This cake is far from being uninteresting; it is unique and terribly good...

Shuna Fish Lydon's (see her site) "Caramel Cake With Caramel Frosting" is heavenly! Although, it is made only with humble ingredients (flour, butter, milk, sugar, vanilla), it's taste is, on the contrary, very subtle, complex and refined.

Just like spice cake, the "Caramel Cake" is somewhat dense, yet moist and smooth as well as slightly "rubbery" (in a very pleasant way) and has a wonderful caramelly fragrance. The "Caramelized Butter Frosting" is just drop-dead gorgeous. The nutty flavor of the caramelized butter adds much spiffiness and scrumptiousness to the whole and that little pinch of salt gives the frosting even more character/body (it also cuts the sweetness). As if it was already not decadent enough, the leftover "Caramel Syrup" can be drizzled over the cake, thus making it ever more irresistible.

I really want to thank Dolores at "Culinary Curiosity" (USA), Alex at "The Blondie And The Brownie" (USA) and Jenny at "Foray into Food" (USA) for having chosen that fantastic recipe!

~ Caramel Cake With Caramel Frosting ~
Recipe courtesy of Shuna Fish Lydon.

Ingredients for the cake:
10 Tbs (150g) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 (262.5g) Cups Granulated sugar
1/2 Tsp Kosher salt
1/3 Cup (~110g/ml) Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 Eggs (~63g), at room temperature
1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract or paste
2 Cups (255g) All-purpose flour
1/2 Tsp Baking powder
1 Cup (240ml) Milk, at room temperature
Ingredients for the "Caramel Syrup":
2 Cups (420g) Granulated sugar
1/2 Cup (120ml) Water
1 Cup (240ml) ater (for "stopping" the caramelization process)

Ingredients for the "Caramelized Butter Frosting":
12 Tbs (180g) Unsalted butter
1 Pound (500g) Confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 Tbs heavy cream
2 Tsps Pure vanilla extract
2-4 Tsps Caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt (I used Himalaya salt), to taste

Method for the "Caramel Cake":
1. Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F).
2. Butter one tall (5-6.5cm/2–2.5 inch deep) 23cm (9-inch) cake pan.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.
4. Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.
5. Sift flour and baking powder.

6. Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients (This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.).
7. Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.
8. Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.

Method for the "Caramel Syrup":
9. In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame (Cook until smoking slightly/dark amber.).
10. When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water (Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.).
Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers (Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.).

Method for the "Caramelized Butter Frosting":
11. Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed metallic sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.
12. Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.
13. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time.
14. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated.
15. Add salt to taste.

Assembling the "Cake":
16. Divide the cake into 2 equal parts.
17. Using a pastry brush, moisten the bottom part/layer with 6-7 Tbs of "Caramel Syrup".
18. Spread the bottom layer with a 1/4-inch/6mm thickness "Caramel Frosting".
19. Close the cake.
20. With a metal spatula in hand, spread the remaining "Caramel Frosting", making sure to cover both the top and sides of the cake.

Remarks:
Cake:
It will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.
Caramelized butter frosting:
It will keep in fridge for up to a month.
To smooth out from cold, leave at room temperature until "warm", then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light.
Caramel Sauce:
For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.
Stop cooking any caramel recipe or variation when it reaches 107° C (225°F) or, for a sauce that thickens like hot fudge over ice cream, 108° C (228°F). Pour it into a sauceboat to serve or into a heatproof jar for storage. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for ages and reheated gently in the microwave or a saucepan just until hot and flowing before use. You can stir in rum or brandy to taste. If the sauce is too thick or stiff to serve over ice cream, it can always be thinned with a little water or cream. Or, if you like a sauce that thickens more over ice cream, simmer it for a few minutes longer.

Serving suggestions:
Drizzle some "Caramel Syrup" over a slice of the cake and serve.
Depending on your audience you can serve it for any occasion with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones!

C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur les blogs mentionnés ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française.

Chez Vibi de "La Casserole Carée" (Canada)
Chez Marion de "Il En faut Peu Pour..." (France)