Caramel Cake

Lately my stress level has reached a new high which makes me think it's about time I started taking care of my health and well being. I know what your thinking...so you made yourself a caramel cake? No, so I started taking yoga classes again! The first week was amazing. I felt rejuvenated, more peaceful and my muscles definitely got a workout. This is a good thing for a girl who sits at her computer all day. The next thing I know, my neck goes out...thanks a lot yoga + hours on a computer. I spent the following weekend immobilized, not on the computer, not stepping foot in the kitchen, and absolutely not attempting yoga. So much for stress relief! Fast forward to this week and I am feeling much better. My Tuesday night yoga class rolled around, I thought long and hard about my well being, and decided to stay home and baked a caramel cake. Good decision.

{photos by Freutcake}

Caramel Cake- Recipe via Saveur

For the cake
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
3 cups cake flour, plus more for pans, sifted
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs

For the icing
3 ½ cups sugar
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 (15-oz.) cans evaporated milk
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda

Directions
1. Make the cake: Heat oven to 350°. Butter and flour three 9″ cake pans, and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Whisk together milk and vanilla in a bowl; set aside. 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. 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. Divide batter among prepared pans, and smooth top with a rubber spatula; drop pans lightly on a counter to expel any large air bubbles. 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.

2. Make the icing and assemble the cake: Whisk together 3 cups sugar, butter, milk, and egg in a 6-qt. copper saucepan or Dutch oven; set aside. Heat remaining sugar in a small skillet over high heat, and cook, swirling pan, until sugar melts into an amber caramel, about 2 minutes. 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. Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla and baking soda; let sit for 1 minute. Using a hand mixer, beat caramel mixture on medium-low speed until the consistency of loose pudding, about 1 minute. Immediately place one cake on a cake stand and pour over ½ cup caramel icing; top with second cake and pour over ½ 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.