Name: Simple Recipe for Homemade Caramel Cake
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: The Cake; 1.5 ounces of butter (about 2 sticks) - at room temperature; Sugar for 4 eggs, at room temperature, 2 cups; Three cups of self-rising flour; A Measurement of Buttermilk: 1 Cup; 12 teaspoon of vanilla extract; Caramel Icing; four cups of sugar; 1/2 gallon of milk; Measure out 1 cup of Crisco, or your favorite solid vegetable shortening.; 1/4 pound butter; Baking soda, 2 teaspoons; Ingredients: 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp vanilla extract

My daughter has complete freedom in selecting her favorite kind of cake for her birthday each year. I’ve always baked birthday cakes for my kids, but she picks a fresh flavor every year, so I knew eventually I’d be up against a “challenging” cake like this one. Because it was my first time making it, I was most concerned about the caramel icing. Let me assure you right now that it is not hard, but rather just different.

After I had done baking the cake, I stood staring at it and felt a sense of relief and happiness. She let out a little cry of delight upon seeing the cake, and she ended up really enjoying it. Now that I knew it could be done, I determined to create the cake again. The frosting is not light and airy like most others; rather, it is rich and decadent.

Since this is a cake my family would have only had on rare occasions (at restaurants), I consider it even more of a treat to have this recipe in our possession. We can have it whenever we want because I can now make it at home.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

The Cake

1.5 ounces of butter (about 2 sticks) – at room temperature
Sugar for 4 eggs, at room temperature, 2 cups
Three cups of self-rising flour
A Measurement of Buttermilk: 1 Cup
12 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Caramel Icing

four cups of sugar
1/2 gallon of milk
Measure out 1 cup of Crisco, or your favorite solid vegetable shortening.
1/4 pound butter
Baking soda, 2 teaspoons
Ingredients: 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

For The Cake
Prepare a 350°F oven.

Lightly flour three (3) 9-inch cake pans that have been greased with butter or shortening. Remove from consideration.

Whip the butter for a few minutes until it’s light and airy, then add the sugar and continue beating for another 5-6 minutes.

Slowly add the eggs, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Add the flour and buttermilk to the butter in three additions each, beginning and finishing with the flour. Always mix until the ingredients are well integrated after adding them.

Cream in some vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Taking a 5-minute break can help the pans cook more evenly. The cakes should be removed from the pans and placed on cooling racks.

As the cakes cool, whip up some Caramel Icing and spread it on top.

Useful As a Topping

Put everything but the vanilla extract into a heavy saucepan (like a cast-iron Dutch oven) and heat it over medium.

Use a candy thermometer and keep a close eye on the temperature by attaching it to the edge of the pot.

As the ingredients heat to a simmer, stir with a wooden spoon to keep ingredients moving in the pan.

For the softball stage, 235 degrees to 245 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer, cook.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Beat with a wooden spoon until creamy and ready to spread. When the icing reaches the softball stage, beat it with a mixer until it keeps its shape when the mixer is turned off.