The Nutterly Caramel Cake Food

EASY CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter two 20cm springform tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and both sugars in a bowl with an electric whisk for a few mins until lighter in colour and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour and beating in between each egg. Add the remaining flour and milk. Divide between the cake tins and bake for 25-30 mins until they're golden, spring back when pressed, and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Cool in the tins for a few mins, then tip out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, for the icing, put the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk for a few mins until light and airy. Whisk in the caramel briefly, adding 1 tbsp of boiling water to loosen, if needed. Set aside until the sponges are completely cool before assembling, or the icing will melt.
• Use half the icing to sandwich the cakes together, then spread the remainder over the top, smoothing it out with a knife or the back of a spoon. Leave in a cool place until ready to serve. Drizzle with the 3 tbsp extra sauce (warm briefly in the microwave if it's a little stiff), allowing some to drip down the sides if you like, and scatter over the toffee, chocolate or caramel pieces to serve. Edible glitter, birthday candles or sparklers, optional.

PEANUT CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Sift together dry ingredients including flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat mixture until smooth then add the peanut butter. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the caramel squares with whipping cream for about 1 minute. Add the caramel mixture to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto on a wire rack until completely cool.
• Sprinkle chopped peanuts in between the layers and place on a freezer safe plate. Ice cake with caramel icing. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Place the cake back onto the wire rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch the ganache. Pour the ganache over cake the cake, coating completely and allow to dry before placing on a serving plate. Garnish as desired while ganache is still wet.
• Melt almond bark or chocolate in a double boiler. Heat whipping cream in microwave for 45 seconds. Pour whipping cream and corn syrup into melted almond bark or chocolate until completely mixed.

CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.
• Place the cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minutes. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.
• Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 27 to 29 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert them again onto another rack to that the cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, 30 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, prepare the Quick Caramel Frosting.
• Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with the warm frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes. Work quickly, as the frosting will set. (If the frosting gets too hard to work with, place the pan back over low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to soften it up.) Once the frosting has set, slice and serve.
• Store this cake, covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight on the counter before serving.
• Place the butter and brown sugars in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the mixture comes to a boil, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, stir, and bring the mixture back to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until the frosting is smooth.
• Use immediately (while still warm) to frost the cake of your choice or the frosting will harden. If it does harden while you are frosting the cake, simply place the pan back over low heat and stir until the frosting softens up.

NUTTY CARAMEL ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press 2 cups onto bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Spoon half of ice cream into prepared pan. Freeze for 20 minutes. , Repeat layers with remaining cookie crumbs and ice cream. Spread with whipped topping. Sprinkle with almonds and toffee bits. Freeze, covered, overnight or until firm. May be frozen up to 2 months., To use frozen cake: Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with syrup.