Toddy's first foray into baking...

*Disclaimer: I fully understand if you'd like to skip my blabbering, but don't miss the last paragraph about a new baking group Sweet Melissa Sundays by Lorelei of Mermaid Sweets!

I apologize for my absence. You see, my dad and his wife Kim came to visit me this past weekend, and while our visits always involve multiple meals (and great times), they often leave little time for kitchen ventures. Thus, this past Saturday, I found myself in the kitchen a-whisking and a-folding at what some would deem an ungodly hour. I planned out a wonderfully caramel-y cake with a caramel butter cream frosting (and of course, some cinnamon chocolate ganache…for good measure). Being the anal retentive gal I am, I took quite some time “getting organized.” Okay, so now that you have a picture of a harried baker scurrying around the kitchen, while attempting to maintain some semblance of order, fast forward to nine that morning when I needed to skedaddle to the train station to retrieve my visitors. Only problem? My three cake layers were due for a good cake-testing in about three minutes.

Who took care of this task? Toddy, of course! Like a nervous mother hen, I clucked at Todd. This is how you stick a toothpick into the cake. This is what the tooth pick should look like. Batter is bad. Crumbs are great! Don’t forget to rotate the cakes if some are browning more than others. Add five minute baking increments if the cakes aren’t done when you look at them. Blah, blah, blah. I sounded like an overbearing nag, truth be told. However, I am delighted to say that Toddy tested those cakes, removed them at the perfect moment, and they turned out quite deliciously!

This cake is delightful! The cake is rich yet not overly so. The chocolate ganache adds a wonderful hint of thickness and density—not to mention a rich flavor. And the caramel butter cream is just finger-licking good. I do wish my butter cream had been a bit sturdier, but hey, next time, right? Overall, I’d love to share a slice of this cake with you. In fact, come on! Everyone to Berkeley now!

Okay, as excited as I am about sharing this cake with you, I’m even more excited to announce that the FABULOUS Lorelei of Mermaid Sweets has started a baking group: Sweet Melissa Sundays. Every Sunday, we will be posting about a recipe from the wonderfully charming baking book The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. In fact, if you head over to the group’s site, you can even enter to win a free copy! The first bake together will occur on April 5. You simply must join this group. Lorelei is amazing. If you haven’t checked out her blog, well, you must (no ifs, ands, or buts about it)! And, if you’re on the fence about joining the group, well, hop down off of that fence and come join us!! It's going to be so much fun!

Now onto the recipes!

Golden “Caramel” Cake
Adapted from Birthday Cakes

2 ½ cups AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Method:

(1) Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour three 9-inch cake pans.

(2) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Set aside.

(3) In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Alternate the dry ingredients and the milk, making sure to start and end with the dry ingredients.

(4) Beat the egg whites until stiff with glossy peaks. Gently fold the whites into the batter. Stir in vanilla.

(5) Divide batter between three pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.


Salted Caramel (for Caramel Butter Cream)
Taken from Baked

½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp fleur de sel
1 cup sugar
2 TBS light corn syrup
¼ cup sour cream

(1) Combine cream and fleur de sel in small saucepot. Stir over low heat until the salt dissolves. Set aside.

(2) Combine ¼ cup water, sugar, and corn syrup together in medium saucepot, taking care not to splash sides of pan. Cook over high heat until thermometer reads 350 degrees F (about 6-8 minutes). Remove from heat and let mixture cool for 1 minute.

(3) Add cream to sugar mixture. Whisk in sour cream. Let caramel cool to room temperature, then transfer to airtight container and refrigerate until cool.


Caramel Butter Cream
Taken from Cupcakes

3 large egg whites, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, at room temperature
Caramel from above recipe

(1) In large, heatproof bowl, combine egg whites and sugar. Set bowl over simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch (about 160 degrees F). This should take about 2 minutes.

(2) Remove bowl from saucepan. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg white mixture until fluffy and cooled to room temperature and holding stiff peaks, about 6 minutes.

(3) With mixer on medium-low, add salt and butter, a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. If frosting separates, continue t beet on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 3-5 minutes). Add the caramel and beat until combined.


Chocolate Cinnamon Ganache

½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup chocolate chips

(1) Add cinnamon and cream to saucepan. Heat over medium heat until bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan. Remove from heat.

(2) Add chocolate chips and allow mixture to sit for 1 minute. Stir chocolate chips until completely melted. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

(3) When cool, whip the ganache with an electric mixer until fluffy.


Assemble the cake:
(1) Flatten your cake layers as needed. Top first layer with ½ of ganache mixture. Top this with a thin layer of butter cream.

(2) Place second layer atop the first. Top with remaining ganache. Add another thin layer of butter cream. Place third layer atop the second.

(3) Place cake in freezer or refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. Frost the cake with the remaining butter cream frosting. Freeze/refrigerate as necessary to ensure a smooth finish.

(4) ENJOY!

(5) GO JOIN LORELEI’s GROUP!