SOUTHERN CARAMEL CAKE
8
2
hoursThis fluffy cake is a standout on its own. Add on the decadent caramel frosting? Well, now you’ve got a showstopper on your hands. This cake has adorned cake pedestals throughout the south for generations. The thick caramel icing is worth the effort. The hard part is waiting for it to cool!
This recipe was featured in our digital magazine Pathway: A Culinary Journal. This recipe-driven guidebook is a culinary journal through south Louisiana covering the path of Hurricana Ida.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 ¼ cups cake flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1 tsp Baker’s Salt
12 tbl unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
For the icing:
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Maldon Salt
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans.
- Mix milk, egg whites and vanilla together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute.
- Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low, add remaining milk mixture and beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until tops are light golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack.
- For the icing: Mix all ingredients in a large pot and place over medium heat. Swirl pan to keep ingredients moving in the pan.
- Cook to softball stage 235º – 245º on a candy thermometer.
- Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon until creamy and ready to spread. If using mixer, once your icing has reached the softball stage, whip the icing until it holds to the whisk when you stop the mixer.
