Caramel Cake With Caramelized Butter Frosting

Caramel Cake With Caramelized Butter Frosting
Recipe by Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater


It's Daring Baker's time again! This was my 3rd challenge and this month we made Shuna Fish Lydon's Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting. Sounds divine, no? I decided to make cupcakes instead of a full cake. I find cupcakes easier to share. :)


These cupcakes were both dense and moist. The caramel was surprisingly easy and fun to work with. I think this month's challenge was a success. Enjoy!

Makes 1 cake or 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 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. If you’re making cupcakes, bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are slightly brown and skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

9. Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.


CARAMEL SYRUP

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelization process)

Directions:
1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.}

Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

Ingredients:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste

1. Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.

2. Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. 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. Add salt to taste.

Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month.

4. To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light


** I'd like to thank this month's hosts Delores, Alex and Jenny for a great challenge.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

They are beautiful!

Anonymous said...

It definitely looks like a success! I'll try this recipe as cupcakes next time :)

Deeba PAB said...

They look gorgeous as cupcakes P...my cake was dense & moist, far too sweet as well. But it was the frosting that won...addictive & yummy!

Anonymous said...

cupcakes look wonderful with their caramel dressing!!

Sherry Trifle - Lovely Cats said...

I just love those cupcakes with their caramel swirls! Brings back the flavor of the lovely cake again.Great job!

Laura Rebecca said...

Oh, your cupcakes look delicious! (You had more success with the caramel than I did...) I love how you drizzled the frosting with the syrup -- yum!

Sara said...

Your cupcakes look so delicious!

Beth said...

Very nice, homey look to your cupcakes!

nikkita said...

wowee! the pics have that food porn-ish like quality there! i swear those cupcakes look decadent. (aaahh but yes the cake IS after all decadent).. *ponder* ^_^

Andreia Sousa said...

Your cupcakes are also yummy. Great job!

Gretchen Noelle said...

You made the cupcakes look so delicious. Great job!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful cupcakes! Yum!

Anonymous said...

I went to cupcake route too! Yours look perfectly decadent!

Eat4Fun said...

Delicious looking cupcakes - the caramel swirls adds a nice touch. Terrific looking picts too!

NKP said...

They are too cute! They all look so very perfect and yummy.

Anonymous said...

What enticing cupcakes! Love how you decorated them with the extra syrup.

Honey Pickles said...

Your cupcakes turned out divine.

giz said...

Love the ooey gooey on top of the cupcakes. Great idea to make this cake into cupcakes.

♥ mesa para 4 said...

A lot of delicious caramel, grest choice in picking cupcakes...abraço

Patsyk said...

I love that you made them as cupcakes! I'd love one right now!

Anonymous said...

Lovely cupcakes!

CookiePie said...

Beautiful cupcakes! I love the caramel drizzled on top.

Lot-O-Choc said...

Mm wow your cupcakes look so good, love how youve drizzled the caramel syrup over the top! I agree cupcakes are far more easier to share.

strawberriesinparis said...

Yay- delicious cupcakes! They look sooo tasty

Anonymous said...

Your cupcakes baked up beautifully!

A said...

mmMMMmm! Cupcakes!!

Fit Chick said...

Yum! Cupcakes, what a great idea, easier to give away, LOL. Your's look delicious.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Wow your DB challenge cupcakes look wonderful! I think I'll try this recipe as cupcakes next time too.

Anna said...

Oh, you're making me wish I'd made cupcakes! Adorable!

whall said...

ooh, wow those look amazing.

Maria said...

Gorgeous cupcakes!

Dragon said...

Noble: Thanks!

Jude: Thanks!

Passionate: I thought it was a tad sweet too but my coworkers love them.

arundati: The caramel swirl was my favourite part.

sherry: Exactly!

Laura: Thanks!

Sara: Thanks!

Beth: Thanks!

Nikkita: These are a little decadent but why not spoil ourselves?

andreia: Thanks!

gretchen: Thanks!

culinography: Thanks!

jillian: I'm glad I decided to make cupcakes. They were fun to decorate.

Eat4Fun: Thanks!

natashya: Thanks!

Hannah: One should never waste caramel syrup. :)

Honey: thanks!

giz: Thanks!

mesa: Obrigada!

patsyk: I'll send one over. Oh wait...they are all gones. :)

fruittart: Thanks!

cookiepie: Thanks!

natalie: Thanks!

strawberries: Thanks!

Regina: Thanks!

Ahmad: Thanks!

Fit Chick: Easier to share and more fun to decorate. :)

Pat: Thanks!

Indigo: Thanks!

Whall: Bet they don't make them like this in Texas. :)

Maria: Thanks!

Bunny said...

Your cupcakes are so pretty, you really did a great job!

Bex said...

oh my goodness those look good! Perfect drizzles!

Gloria Baker said...

These cupcakes look awesome!!!!love them!! Gloria

Tricharm said...

Mmmm. I would really like these cupcakes. You should open your own bakery - like Magnolia's is to New York - so too would Dragon's be to Canada.

Dolores said...

I'm glad you enjoyed our celebration of sugar. Thanks for baking with us.

Vera said...

These are so lovely! The cupcakes are way cuter than one large cake! And you don't have to cut anything (the major advantage :)

Hanaâ said...

Absolutely scrumptious looking. I think I gained a pound just by looking them :o)

 
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