There are many dessert tables in the South that feature caramel cake.The cake is covered in homemade caramel icing.It's not usually decorated, but you need to know why the recipe is passed down through the family.As the caramel icing sets you get a perfect bite of sweet caramel with a yellow cake.You can serve your cake with cold milk.
Step 1: Grease 2 round cake pans before placing them in the oven.
Get out a couple of 9 in 2 in round cake pans and spray the inside with cooking spray.To make it easier to get the cakes out, shake the pan so that it covers the bottom and sides.Set your pans aside after you tap out the excess flour.Parchment paper can be cut to fit in the pans.You can peel away the paper to get the cakes out of the pans.
Step 2: The flour, baking powder and baking soda should be put in a bowl.
Put 2 1/2 cups of sifted all-purpose flour into a big mixing bowl and add baking powder, salt, and baking soda.All of the leaveners are completely mixed in when you whisk the dry ingredients for 30 seconds.It's a good idea to check your baking powder and baking soda expiration dates.Your cake won't rise if they're expired.
Step 3: For 3 minutes, beat softened butter with sugar.
Add 2 cups of white sugar and 1 cup of softened butter to a big mixing bowl.If you're using a stand mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until it's combined.Continue beating the mixture until it's light and fluffy, then turn up the speed to medium-high.Before you turn off the mixer, give it at least a few minutes.While you're beating the butter mixture, stop and remove the sides of the bowl.Do you want your cake to have a caramel flavor?1 1/2 cups of white sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar can be used instead of 2 cups.
Step 4: At a time, mix in eggs and yolks.
Add an egg to the mixer.Before you add the remaining 2 eggs and 2 yolks, let it beat for 15 seconds.Then, mix in some of the extract.The cake's yellow color is due to the extra egg yolks.
Step 5: The batter should be Stir the dry ingredients into it.
Stir in 1/3 of the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula.When they're incorporated, mix in half of the whole milk.Don't worry, you can see this.Next, add the rest of the dry ingredients with the milk.As soon as the dry ingredients are absorbed, stop stirring.The cake will be tough if you mix the batter too long.You want to add the dry ingredients by hand instead of using an electric mixer.
Step 6: The batter should be spread in 2 pans.
You should try to scoop the same amount of batter into each cake pan.You can use a kitchen scale to see how much batter you're putting in each pan.To spread the tops, use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Step 7: The cakes should be baked for 30 minutes.
Set a timer for 30 minutes and put the cake pans in the oven.The edges of the pan should turn a light golden color if they pull away from the sides.Attach a skewer or tester to the center of the cake to see if it comes out clean.You can check the cakes again in a few minutes if there's still batter on the skewer.
Step 8: Take the cakes out of the oven.
Take the pans out of the oven and put them on a wire rack.The cakes should be cool in the pans for 10 minutes.Then, turn the cakes onto a wire rack and run a knife around the edge of the pans.The caramel icing shouldn't soak into the cake when you put it on, so it's important to cool the cakes completely.
Step 9: For 3 minutes, cook 1/3 cup of sugar.
Don't worry about making caramel.Pour 1/3 cup (64 g) of sugar into a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove.When the burner is turned to medium-high, stir the sugar constantly until it turns a deep brown.Turn off the burner.Is it clumpy sugar?Don't worry!The clumps of sugar turn into a rich brown syrup after a while.
Step 10: Put the flour, cream, and the rest of the sugar in a container.
All-purpose flour and heavy cream should be added with the remaining 2 1/2 cups of sugar.To make the flour, whisk it really well.You can find whipping cream and heavy cream at the store.The same amount of evaporated milk could be used for the cream.
Step 11: When it reaches 238 F, it's time to cook the syrup.
Turn the burner back on to medium-high after putting a candy thermometer on the side of the pot.It takes about 10 to 12 minutes to cook the syrup.You don't have to stir constantly, but you should stir the syrup every few minutes to help it cook evenly.The soft ball stage has caramel on it.If you put some of the caramel into cold water, it would firm up enough that you could roll it into a soft ball between your fingers.
Step 12: When the burner is turned off, stir in half of the butter.
If you don't want the caramel sauce to keep cooking, turn off the burner as soon as it reaches 238 F.Put 1/2 cup of softened butter into the pot along with a small amount of vanilla extract.The butter will melt when the caramel mixture is stirred.The other stick of butter should be kept out of the room.It's necessary to finish the caramel icing.
Step 13: The caramel syrup needs to be cooled until it reaches a temperature of 120 F.
The caramel should be set aside so it cools off.This should take around an hour.Don't have that long to wait?Don't worry!You can speed up the cooling process by filling your kitchen sink with ice water.Then, put the pot into the sink and stir the syrup.Don't let water get into the caramel.If you want the caramel to cool faster, stir it occasionally.
Step 14: For 10 minutes, beat the cooled syrup.
If you want to beat the caramel on high, use a hand or stand mixer.Beating the caramel for a long time makes it fluffy, thick, and pale.You can skip this step if you want your caramel icing to have more consistency.
Step 15: Beat the icing for 5 minutes with the remaining butter.
To give your icing even more volume, add the remaining 1/2 cup of softened butter and turn the mixer back to high speed.It's easy to spread if you beat the caramel icing for 5 more minutes.All of the icing becomes fluffy when you stop and scraper down the bowl a few times.
Step 16: Put a cake on your plate and spread icing on it.
Put 1 of your cakes on a platter.If the cake has a dome, you can either slice it off or flip it over so the flat side faces up.Spread caramel icing over the top of the cake.You can use a spatula or spoon to spread the icing.Just use what's comfortable for you.
Step 17: If you Stack the other cake on top, they will be centered.
You're almost done making your cake.The flat bottom faces up when you flip your second cooled cake.The sides of the cake need to be lined up.If your cake is domed, cut it so it's level or just enjoy the slightly rounded caramel cake.
Step 18: Spread the caramel icing on the sides of the cake.
Spread the icing evenly over the surface of the cake.The icing should be spread on the sides of the cake.To get a polished look, run a bench scraper around the sides and top of the cake.If you work fast, the caramel icing won't start to harden.Icing sticking as you spread it?You can loosen the icing by dipping your spatula or spoon in warm water.
Step 19: Before serving the cake, leave it at room temperature for two hours.
It might be the most difficult part of making the cake.If you want the caramel icing to set before you slice it, let it sit out for a few hours.Set out glasses of cold milk when you're able to serve it.You can store the leftover cake at room temperature for up to 5 days.