Like everyone else in the country, I recently read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The plot can be found anywhere on the internet, and if you're really lazy you can just watch the movie
, so I'll spare you the details, but after reading it, I was left with thoughts of a very particular classic Southern food that comes up repeatedly in the book: the Caramel Cake.
My childhood was not filled with what some would have you believe are the typical Southern Sunday Suppers of macaroni and cheese and fried chicken, but the Caramel Cake does have a special place in my heart. Beloved by both my grandfathers, this cake was often present at family gatherings, bought at a local French bakery, but distinctly perfectly Southern all the same.
It was out of character for both of my grandmothers, each fabulous cooks in their own right, to purchase a premade good to serve the family, but after making several myself, I can understand why the stress and slight danger of making a caramel cake was best left to the professionals when grandchildren were running around and copious other dishes needed tending. Particularly when the professionals did such an authentic job.
Still, I have a rule for myself: premade goods and shortcuts are fine, as long as I know that I can do it the old-fashioned way. Plus, I no longer live in my hometown of Atlanta, and could not purchase the famed Caramel Cake, even if I wanted to. Not for the faint-of-baking heart, the secret to this cake is the make-you-die-early (a.k.a omg-this-is-delicious) Southern trifecta: butter, sugar, cream. I am usually not a recipe hound, but this one must be precisely followed in order to yield the desired result. You cannot rush the frosting on this cake. REPEAT: You Cannot Rush This Frosting! The frosting is why this cake takes two days to make, but it is also what makes it so very, very special. You are essentially making a classic caramel sauce, and then whipping the dickens out of it.
Try the recipe, love the cake, and don't come crying to me if it doesn't turn out because you didn't follow instructions.
If you came for the pictures, and decided it's more than you'd like to bother with even though you'd still love to try an authentic Caramel Cake, I HIGHLY recommend ordering a cake from Caroline's Cakes. You can order here. This is not an affiliate link ( read: I don't get any kickback from you ordering there ), her cakes are just truly fantastic and I get that not everyone wants to spend two days of their life making a cake!!!
Southern Caramel Cake
Ingredients
Caramel Frosting:
- 2 pounds light brown sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter sliced into 1 tablespoon pats
Cake:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 ⅓ cups self-rising flour
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
Equipment
- 9" cake pans
- Heavy Duty Stand Mixer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
For the caramel frosting
- Find the heaviest saucepan you have that is at least 6 quarts. I like to use the bottom part of my pressure cooker. Stir together the sugar and cream in the cold pan, turn the heat to medium, and bring to a rolling boil ( see picture on the far left from the below photos; there will be lots of bubbles and a sort of lighter foam to go along with them). Do not stir once the boil has begun.
- Boil exactly one minute. Add baking soda and boil for exactly one more minute. Be careful: the mixture will foam up as in the picture on the right.
- Remove from the heat and add the butter, but Do Not stir the butter as it melts.
- Once the butter has completely melted, stir the mixture just enough to combine the melted butter, and let it cool to room temperature. Next, cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator. Let it sit overnight.
- A small note here: it will be ugly. It will look nothing like the final pictures. You will be worried. Trust me, it's going to be okay.
- After the frosting has thoroughly chilled in the refrigerator, beat it using the whisk attachment (if you have one) on your blender. This can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. If after this time your caramel still hasn't whipped into a thick frosting, chill it for another hour and beat it again.
For the cake
- Grease and flour three 9" cake pans. If you've never done this before, it's easy. Rub the inside of the pan with butter. Throw a handful of flour in the pan, and shake the pan around like you're panning for gold, making sure to turn it on its side in order to get the edges and nooks and crannies of the pan.
- Beat the butter until it becomes fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until completely combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next.
- Mix in ⅔ cup of flour, followed by ¼ cup of milk, repeating until all flour and milk have been added.
- Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the batter into the three pans, and bake for 25 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean).
- Once the cakes have cooled, place the first layer of your cake on a cake stand or plate, and line the edges of the stand with parchment paper. This will let you go crazy with frosting without ruining your clean stand.
Sorry for all the comments, but this is the first time I've made a cake completely from scratch. I went with the three layers after all, and my crumb layer is setting in the fridge. The frosting seemed to come together okay, but I worry it is a bit runny. When you are done frosting do you cover and leave out? Cover and refrigerate? Or leave uncovered and out? Thanks!
No worries! That's what I'm here for :).
I usually just leave it out once I'm done frosting it. It should get a nice crust like a buttercream would get. I've left it out overnight and it was fine, but anymore than two days and it does start to "weep" a little, if that makes sense -- like the frosting starts to break down. Although the last time that happened it was about 115 degrees outside, so I'm sure that didn't help!
I'm planning on making this for my daughter's birthday. It sounds great and easy enough. But do you have any advice for adjusting the cake ingredients for only a two layer cake instead of three? First, I don't have three pans, and really we don't need that much cake! Thanks!
I totally understand -- it's a huge cake! I always make the three tiers as it's something I usually make for large occasions ( because it's scary to think what might happen if just my husband and I were left alone with such a large amount of cake in the house ... ), but if I were to reduce it, I would do so like this:
I hope your family loves this cake as much as mine has, and a very happy birthday to your daughter!
Thanks!
Whenever I make a cake and want to cut back the size, I use the extra to make cupcakes. I can always freeze the cupcakes for a rainy day.
I read the comment about the frosting breaking two different mixers. Do you have to put the frosting in the fridge before whipping it, or could it sit at room temp overnight?
I have always let it cool in the fridge overnight, but you could probably let to come completely to room temperature and then beat it. The frosting will not be as thick if you do it that way, though.
I have a standard Kitchenaid stand mixer and never had any problems making the frosting after chilling it. I do not think a handheld mixer could handle the job.
As the daughter of a missionary in Honduras, I was amazed at the way they made the most delicious caramel frosting I have ever eaten. They would put an unopened can of condensed milk into a sauce pan, put water to the top of the can (but not over the top), then bring it to a soft boil, then continue to boil for one hour. Make sure you add boiling water as the water evaporates, Allow the can to cool before opening. IT IS DELICIOUS!
This is the best way to make caramel.
Should the frosting be fluffy like buttercream or like melted caramel? It came together and then started getting liquid-like again.
It will be like a very heavy crusting buttercream. Whipping some butter into it may help!