Brown Sugar Almond Cake With Caramel Frosting

By á-770

Ingredients

• Frosting:
• 2 Cups Cake Flour
• 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 15 Ounce Can Pear Halves In Light Syrup -- Drained Well
• 3/4 Cup Blanched, Slivered Almonds
• 3/4 Cup Buttermilk
• 3/4 Cup Golden Brown Sugar -- Packed
• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter -- Room Temperature
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 Teaspoon Almond Extract
• 3/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar -- Packed
• 1/2 Cup Whipping Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Dark Corn Syrup
• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter -- Room Temperature
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar -- Sifted
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Optional: Toasted Sliced Almonds
• Powdered Sugar

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

For Cake: Preheat oven to 350F F. Butter 9-inch square pan with 2-inch high sides. Line pan with waxed paper; butter paper. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl.

Place pears and nuts in processor; blend to thick puree. Add buttermilk, both sugars, butter, eggs and both extracts. Process until well blended (mixture may look curdled). Add to dry ingredients; stir to blend. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Cut around cake to loosen. Turn cake out onto rack: peel off paper. Cool cake completely.

For Frosting: Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, swirling pan occasionally. Pour mixture into medium bowl. Chill until cold and beginning to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup powdered sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in cold brown sugar mixture, then vanilla.

Place cake on platter. Spread frosting over cake. Sprinkle nuts on top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover.) Sprinkle powdered sugar over.