Caramel Cake

ingredients

For cake:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For caramel glaze:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Equipment: a candy thermometer

method

To make cake: Preheat oven to 350*deg; F with rack in middle of oven. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan and line with a square of parchment paper, then butter parchment. (I made this in an 8-inch round pan but it was ever so close to over-flowing the pan. A 9-inch round would be better but an 8-inch round will work).

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer (or bowl of stand mixer), beat butter and sugar at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture may look curdled). Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then tap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in centre of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto hand, remove and discard parchment, then cool completely right side up on a cooling rack, about 1 hour.

Make glaze: Bring cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Boil until glaze registers 210 to 212° F. on thermometer, 12 to 14 minutes, then stir in vanilla. (Although my glaze read 212° F., it was not what I considered done. It was pale in colour and thin. I cooked it further until it was a light golden caramel colour. Even at that it was a tad thin and I probably could have cooked a little longer.)

Put rack with cake in a shallow baking pan and pour hot glaze over top of cake, allowing it to run down sides. Cool until glaze is set, about 30 minutes. (Optional: poke cake with skewer prior to pouring glaze over so the glaze can seep into the cake or, I like to pour the excess glaze that has dripped off onto my serving plate and then I place the cake on top of the puddle of glaze. It soaks nicely into the bottom of the cake, adding extra caramel flavour).

Adapted from a Gourmet magazine January 2008 recipe