Brown Sugar Caramel Cake

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Cake Yield: 1 (9 inch) 3-layer cake
Preparation: 15 minutes

Bake: 20 to 25 minutes

Cool: 2 hours

Icing Yield: 5 cups
Preparation: 2 minutes

Cook: 7 minutes

Cool: 1 minute

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Ingredients

  • CAKE
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract
  • ICING
  • 4 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  • 2 (5-ounce) cans evaporated milk
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

Preparation

Step 1

CAKE
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. Line with parchment-paper rounds*. Spray parchment rounds. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat brown sugar and eggs at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until smooth, approximately 3 minutes. Add oil and beat until combined. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and extracts.
Add flour mixture to brown-sugar mixture, alternating with milk mixture in 3 batches and beating well between additions. Pour batter into prepared pans, smoothing tops.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans for 20 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Spread Linda’s Cooked Caramel Icing between layers, on top, and around sides of cake, working quickly†. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Note: †If icing becomes too stiff to spread, return pan to stove and warm over low heat until spreadable.

ICING
Before beginning to make this icing, read the entire recipe, noting that two pans will be on the heat at the same time.
Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan or skillet. Set on stove.
Place remaining 4 cups sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in a large saucepan. Set on stove.
Cook sugar in small pan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until caramelized or amber colored, approximately 4 minutes.
At the same time, bring ingredients in large pan to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly. (The objective is for these ingredients to come to a boil at the same time as the sugar in the other pan turns amber in color.)
When milk mixture begins to boil, carefully add caramelized sugar, stirring constantly. (Be careful; mixture is very hot and may give off hot steam that can burn you!)
Cook mixture for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat. Let cool for 1 minute.
Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Use immediately.

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