Cakes Recipes - Caramel Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 120ml/1/2 cup milk whipped cream, to decorate

• caramel threads, to decorate 5ml/1 tsp vanilla essence

• 5ml/1 tsp vanilla essence

• 275g/2 1/2 cups plain flour

• 7.5ml/1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 175g/3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

• 165g/generous 2/3 cup caster sugar

• 4 eggs, beaten

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line two 20cm/5in cake tins with greaseproof paper and grease the paper. Sift the flour and baking powder together three times.

2. Cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly mix in the beaten eggs. Add the vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Divide the batter between the cake tins and spread evenly. Bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the tin, about 30 minutes. Stand in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

3. For the frosting, bring the brown sugar and milk to the boil, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and continue to boil, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 119 C/235F (soft ball stage) on a sugar thermometer.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, but do not stir it in. Leave to cool until lukewarm, then beat until the mixture is smooth. Stir in enough cream to obtain a spread able consistency.

5. Sandwich the cake together with frosting and then cover the top and sides. Decorate with whipped cream, and caramel threads if liked.