Toffee Pecan Caramel Cake With Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Food

CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans; line with lightly greased parchment or wax paper.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Place 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, and 1 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture and 1 cup milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating at low speed after each addition. Pour into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire rack. Place 1 layer on a cake plate.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, evaporated milk, and 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cook (without stirring) until a candy thermometer registers 238°. Transfer to a heat-resistant bowl, and beat 3 minutes or until thickened and easy to spread. Quickly spread filling over cake layer on plate. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; chill 15 minutes or until set.
• Spread a thin layer of Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting over filling. Top with second layer. Frost cake. Chill 20 minutes or until frosting sets, then cover and chill 4 hours or overnight. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Garnish, if desired.
• Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:.
• Melt brown sugar and 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat. Whisk in cream; blend well. Transfer to a heat-resistant bowl. Cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• Place remaining 6 tablespoons butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla and salt. With mixer running, slowly pour in cooled brown sugar mixture; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, beating well after each addition until completely smooth. Chill slightly for a firmer texture, stirring occasionally.
• Pecan Praline (topping):.
• Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small skillet over medium-high heat; cook (without stirring) until golden. Stir in pecans; remove from heat. Rapidly spread mixture onto greased foil. Cool completely. Break into small pieces; store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

CARAMEL PECAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Bake until set, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 325°., Meanwhile, stir 1/4 cup flour into caramel topping. Reserve 1/3 cup caramel mixture and 2 tablespoons pecans. Drizzle remaining caramel mixture over crust; sprinkle with remaining pecans. , In another bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and remaining flour until smooth. Beat in eggs and yolks just until combined. Stir in cream. Pour into crust; place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until center is almost set, 65-70 minutes., For topping, combine sour cream and sugar; carefully spread over warm filling. Bake until topping is set, 10-12 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. , Chill for 8 hours or overnight, covering when completely cooled. Remove sides of pan. Just before serving, drizzle with reserved caramel mixture; sprinkle with reserved pecans. Refrigerate leftovers.

PECAN TOFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Tip 100g pecans into a processor and whizz until fine, then tip into a bowl. Put the dates into a small pan with enough water to cover, boil for 5 mins until very soft. Drain, discarding the liquid, then whizz in the processor until smooth. Leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line the base of a 23cm cake tin. Beat the butter, sugar and spice together until lighter and creamy, then tip in the dates, ground pecans, eggs and a pinch of salt and beat briefly until smooth.
• Fold in the flour with a metal spoon, then spoon into the tin and level the top. Sprinkle the remaining nuts over the top (don't press them in), then bake for 40 mins or until risen and golden and a skewer comes out clean. Serve warm, with generous drizzles of maple syrup and scoops of Maple crunch ice cream (see 'goes well with').