Caramel Cake

Soft, fluffy cake draped in sweet caramel...delicious!

This recipe is adapted from epicurious.com.  If any of it lasts past the first day, keep in the fridge overnight and microwave for about 15-20 seconds before eating over the next few days.  This is a soft, delicious cake even without the caramel!  On the other hand, you can also just eat the caramel off the top and sides of the cake and then declare yourself done, like my 3 year old Matthew does.  :)

ingredients for cake:
2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons cake flour (sift before measuring)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk (or use 1 Tablespoon white vinegar and add enough milk to get to 1 cup, let sit 10 minutes)

ingredients for caramel glaze:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
candy thermometer

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare 8 inch square cake pan.  I love using Pam for Baking (do not use regular cooking spray) - spray the pan, line with parchment, then spray the parchment.  (Otherwise can use butter.)
2.  Sift together flour, baking power, baking soda and salt.
3.  Beat butter in mixer at medium speed for a minute, then beat in sugar until fluffy.  Add vanilla, then eggs (one at a time), beating after each addition.  Set mixer to low, then add buttermilk until just combined.  (The batter will look a little curdled.)  Slowly add flour mixture, beating until just combined.
4.  Spread the batter in cake pan and lightly drop pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles.  Bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.
5.  Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
6.  For the glaze:  Bring cream, brown sugar, corn syrup and a pinch of salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Boil until the glaze registers 210-212 degrees Farenheit on the candy thermometer (note:  the recipe says this will take about 12-14 minutes, but I got mine to 210 in about 4-5 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Then let it go another minute or two and it turned out great.)  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
7.  Place cake on a wire rack over a foil lined baking sheet.  Pour hot caramel glaze over the top of the cake, letting it run over the sides.  Cool until the glaze sets, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!