caramel buttermilk loaf cake

Apparently I'm into caramel covered cakes lately. I actually made this recipe because I made buttermilk biscuits the other night, so I had some buttermilk leftover and wanted to make sure I did something with it before it went bad.


This recipe was originally for cupcakes, which I definitely want to make sometime, but I felt it would be better received by the family in cake form.

This caramel is a little different from the last one. It's made from brown sugar instead of white. Charlie and I tried some that didn't make it on the cake and we both agreed it sort of tasted like chocolate chip cookie dough (without the chocolate chips)! Which gives me some ideas for revisiting that cookie dough dip I made a while back.


To ice it, I put the cake on a sheet of parchment paper and started spooning the caramel over top of it. I let it run down the edges and as it started to set I would spoon some of the caramel off the parchment paper and back on top of the cake. Then I moved the cake onto a plate with a spatula.


Let it set a bit more to get a nice caramel shell on it and then slice it up and eat!

Now I have to get ready for my last midterm. :( I can't wait until this one is over. Well, for those of you who can go outside today, enjoy the sun because from what I see on the weather, it's supposed to rain (and possibly snow) the rest of the week here! Oh boy.



Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
slightly adapted from Piece of Cake

2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp buttermilk, room temp
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into half inch pieces at room temp

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F.

In a large measuring cup, mix together eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, buttermilk, and set it aside. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix it on low with the paddle attachment. Gradually drop in pieces of butter and mix until the texture is uniform (about 2 minutes). Keeping the mixer on low, start adding in the wet ingredients. When all the ingredients are in, change the speed to medium and mix until the batter is light and fluffy (about a minute and a half). Grease your loaf pan and pour the batter in. Pop it in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely before icing with the caramel.


Caramel Icing
from Piece of Cake

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
5 tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces
generous 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner's sugar

Begin the icing when the cake is cool. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar, and salt together over medium heat, stirring often. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the milk and vanilla. Boil for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the confectioner's sugar all at once and beat it with a spoon until the mixture is smooth and thick.

With your cooled cake on a piece of parchment or wax paper, begin spooning the caramel over the cake. As it sets, the caramel will stick to the cake better. You can scoop some off the parchment and pour it back on the top. When your done, use a spatula to lift the cake onto a clean plate. Wait until it sets fully and then cut and serve!