Vanilla layer cake with brown sugar caramel frosting
Preppy Kitchen · ♥ 24.9K likes · 1.1M views · 18 min video
Read about layer cakes in the BrightCulinary Book
Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
- 390 g all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt (sea salt)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 340 g unsalted butter
Heat the oven to 350F and whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together in a large bowl.
- 500 g granulated sugar
Cream the room temperature butter in the stand mixer until light and smooth; it should indent under a finger and bend without breaking.
- 5 whole eggs
Add the granulated sugar, scrape the bowl down and beat on medium about five minutes until light and fluffy.
- 1 tbsp vanilla
With the mixer on medium, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down between, then the vanilla, and mix a minute.
Adding eggs and vanilla
- 240 ml milk
- butter
- 1 tbsp flour
Butter and flour three nine-inch pans, using about a tablespoon of flour each.
Butter and flour the pans, not baking spray
Add the flour mixture in three batches alternating with the milk in two, mixing on low.
Finish the batter by hand, folding in the streaks of flour and scraping the bottom of the bowl, without over-mixing.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans, level the tops, and fit soaked cake strips if using.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the centres are springy, cool in the pans 15 to 20 minutes, then invert out.
- 339 g butter
- 660 g brown sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 120 ml cream
- ½ cup milk
Put the butter, brown sugar, salt, cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat, breaking up any solid lumps of sugar first.
Starting the brown sugar caramel
Stir occasionally until the butter melts then frequently, bringing it to a boil and on to 230 to 235F, the softball stage.
Without a thermometer, use the cold water test: a drop that dissolves is too cold, one that forms a soft ball is ready, a hard ball is too hot.
Temperature climbs fast then plateaus in the 220s while the water from the milk and cream boils off; keep stirring, reducing the heat if it bubbles hard.
Why this caramel is stirred
Take off the heat at about 232F, pour into the stand mixer bowl and cool about 20 minutes to 150F, stirring occasionally.
Beat the cooled caramel with a whisk attachment on medium-high for 10 minutes to cool it and pump in air until thicker.
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp powdered sugar
Add one and a half cups of powdered sugar, mix on low to combine then medium-high until pourable but spreadable; add another tablespoon or two if it is too runny.
Spread about half a cup of the caramel in a thin layer on the first cake layer with a spatula, add the next layer and repeat.
Filling and stacking the layers
Apply a thin crumb coat, then the rest of the frosting, letting gravity pull it down the sides.
Crumb coat and swirled finish