American Kitchen Classic Caramel Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (plus more for pans)
• 3 cups cake flour, sifted (plus more for pans)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 (15 ounce) cans evaporated milk
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 butter and flour three 9′ cake pans, and set aside.
• 3 whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. whisk together milk and vanilla in a bowl; set aside.
• 4 in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 5 on low speed, alternately add dry ingredients in 3 batches and wet ingredients in 2 batches. increase speed to high and beat until batter is smooth, about 5 seconds.
• 6 divide batter among prepared pans, and smooth top with a rubber spatula; drop pans lightly on a counter to expel any large air bubbles.
• 7 bake cakes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 25 minutes. let cakes cool for 20 minutes in pans; invert onto wire racks, and let cool.
• 8 when ready to frost - whisk together 3 cups sugar, butter, milk, and egg in a 6-qt. copper saucepan or dutch oven; set aside.
• 9 heat remaining sugar in a small skillet over high heat, and cook, swirling pan, until sugar melts into an amber caramel, about 2 minutes.
• 10 immediately pour caramel into milk mixture, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; attach a candy thermometer to side of pan, and cook, stirring bottom constantly with a wooden spoon, until thermometer reads 232°, about 40 minutes.
• 11 remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla and baking soda; let sit for 1 minute.
• 12 using a hand mixer, beat caramel mixture on medium-low speed until the consistency of loose pudding, about 1 minute.
• 13 immediately place one cake on a cake stand and pour over 1/2 cup caramel icing; top with second cake and pour over 1/2 cup icing. top with third cake and pour remaining icing around the top edge of cake and then over the center. quickly spread icing over sides of cake; let icing cool completely before serving. store at room temperature.