Caramel cake is a Southern classic, but I turned it into a caramel sheet cake, which is so much easier but still as delicious and dramatic!
I hope that all of you had a wonderful holiday! The flu put a damper on my Christmas…Philip was diagnosed two days before Christmas and was told no festivities…and that I was likely to catch it too. So we were quarantined. I did manage to get to my parents’ house to get Christmas prime rib “to-go”, but our Christmas with my side of the family was pizza. And this delicious caramel sheet cake.
Apparently, caramel cake is a traditional Southern cake, but until I made it I don’t think I’d ever had caramel cake. Never ever. I was recently reading The Help and one of the characters mentions making caramel cake several times. That made me think about an episode of America’s Test Kitchen where they made a beautiful-and beautifully simple-layered caramel cake. Have I ever mentioned that I watch America’s Test Kitchen at night to help me fall asleep? I’m a terrible insomniac….but watching cooking shows helps to soothe me to sleep. I’m weird like that.
So anyway, I recently purchased a 9×13 USA Pan cake pan from Mia Cucina, my favorite local kitchen store. I was planning to make a caramel cake, sheet-cake style, in my new pan for Christmas. Obviously, that plan got squashed, as no one wanted to eat anything made by someone who might be incubating the flu. My mom got a chocolate cake from Publix, which was good but not caramel sheet cake good.
This cake has a great texture…a firm but not hard crumb. The cake itself tastes of buttery vanilla and is assembled via a “reverse creaming” method-dry ingredients first, then butter, then liquid. Once the cake is cooled, it’s topped with a cooked caramel frosting made by melting butter and sugar, which is then mixed with cream. The creamy caramel is then whipped with powdered sugar and butter and poured onto the cake, where it cools to a slightly crunchy texture…which is what really sets the cake off. You could make half the recipe, because, as you see from the pictures, the full recipe makes a thick layer. I loved it, but if you aren’t a fan of thick icing, feel free to half it. The flavor of this caramel sheet cake won’t suffer a bit.
Have you ever had a caramel cake? When you think of “Southern” cakes, what do you think of? Whatever your answer, this caramel sheet cake will make you smile!
Also, help me decide what to write about in 2015: take my Chattavore in 2015 survey!
Mary
Yield: one 9x13 sheet cake (about 20 servings)
Caramel CakeThis recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen .
30 minPrep Time:
45 minCook Time:
1 hr, 15 Total Time:
Save Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake- 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (8 ounces or 16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces and softened (plus more for greasing the pan)
For the Icing- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan with butter. Set aside.
- Make the cake: Combine the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla in a large measuring cup. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer set on low speed, begin beating the dry ingredients and add the butter, one piece at a time, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and add the liquid ingredients. Mix until incorporated. Spread into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
- Make the icing: Once the cake has cooled, place 8 tablespoons of the remaining butter into a medium saucepan with the brown sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Add the cream and stir to fully combine. Cook until bubbles form around the edge again.
- Transfer the caramel to a mixing bowl. Using a hand or stand mixer on low speed, beat the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, into the caramel mixture. Increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy and light in color, about five minutes. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, one piece at a time, and beat until well combined.
- Pour the frosting onto the cooled cake and spread to edges. Allow to set until the icing has cooled, then serve.
7.8.1.2265https://chattavore.com/caramel-sheet-cake/
Mary
Yield: one 9x13 sheet cake (about 20 servings)
This recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen .
30 minPrep Time:
45 minCook Time:
1 hr, 15 Total Time:
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (8 ounces or 16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces and softened (plus more for greasing the pan)
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan with butter. Set aside.
- Make the cake: Combine the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla in a large measuring cup. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer set on low speed, begin beating the dry ingredients and add the butter, one piece at a time, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and add the liquid ingredients. Mix until incorporated. Spread into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
- Make the icing: Once the cake has cooled, place 8 tablespoons of the remaining butter into a medium saucepan with the brown sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Add the cream and stir to fully combine. Cook until bubbles form around the edge again.
- Transfer the caramel to a mixing bowl. Using a hand or stand mixer on low speed, beat the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, into the caramel mixture. Increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy and light in color, about five minutes. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, one piece at a time, and beat until well combined.
- Pour the frosting onto the cooled cake and spread to edges. Allow to set until the icing has cooled, then serve.
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