Daring Bakers – Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting

The leading lady of the this month Daring Bakers challenge is Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater. The host is Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity y supported by Alex of the Blondie and Brownie duo, Jenny of Foray into Food and Natalie of Gluten-a-Go-Go.

We were invited to bake the Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting courtesy of Shuna Fish Lydon, as published on Bay Area Bites. In addition there was an optional challenge for Alice Medrich’s Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels, which I skipped. The Caramel Cake with its frosting was enough sugar for at least one year. ;-) Even I reduced the quantity of sugar in the cake and buttercream it was way too sweet for my taste.

Fortunately I had the idea to serve the cake with caramelized slices of pears. The pears poached with caramel sauce (recipe see below) and lemon juice reduced the sweet of the cake a bit.

Normally I do just half of the DB-recipes. This month I did the whole batter and bake it in 5 small cake pans. However the frosting I reduced, so that I could prepare two mini-cakes. The remaining 3 cakes I put in the freezer. Just the two mini-cakes can serve up to 12, because after one small piece you feel stuffed like a Christmas turkey. ;-)

Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting
makes 5 mini-cakes or 22 cm round cake

150 g unsalted butter at room temperature
200 g Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
80 ml Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
300 g all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
200 g milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 180 C. Butter 5 mini-cake pans.

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.

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.

Sift flour and baking powder.

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.}

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 pans.

Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 10 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.

Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.

Caramel Syrup

300 g cups sugar
85 g water
150 g water (for „stopping“ the caramelization process)

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.

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.}

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

Caramalized Butter Frosting

100 g unsalted butter
100 g confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon heavy cream (I used Mascarpone)
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste

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

Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.

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

Don’t forget to visit the blogs of my fellow Daring Bakers.

November 2007 Challenge – Tender Potatoe Bread
December 2007 Challenge – Yule Log
January 2008 Challenge – Lemon Meringue Pie
February 2008 Challenge – French Bread
March 2008 Challenge – Perfect Party Cake
April 2008 Challenge – Cheesecake Pops
May 2008 Challenge – Opéra Cake
June 2008 Challenge – Danish Braid
July 2008 Challenge – Filbert Gateau
August 2008 Challenge – Chocolate Eclairs
September 2008 Challenge – Lavash Crackers
October 2008 Challenge – Pizza

More entries and recipes in English.