I made this cake for my Mother's Birthday recently. I have had some pretty good spice cakes in my time and have wanted to find a great recipe. This was a pretty good cake but what I think made it even better was the delectable caramel frosting. I didn't really follow all the directions on the recipe so I didn't get a perfect, uniform cake, nor did I spend a lot of time perfectly dividing the layers or making sure the frosting didn't have any crumbs. It was delicious still the same. Although, I may have to try increasing the frosting recipe or something next time, because it seems I barely had enough to fill and cover the cake. Also, I noticed there were a few crunchy bites here and there. I think it was due to the Real brand Sea Salt I was using. It has minerals in it that tend to be crunchy at times. Also, I did not use the 'special grease' to grease the pans and it still turned out just fine. My Mom, thought it was a nice springy cake, which it was. All in all, I give this recipe two thumbs up but I would like to give some other spice cake recipes a try at some point. This recipe comes from"The Blue Ribbon Country Cookbook" by Diane Roupe. It has some great recipes besides cake and has great detailed instructions.
Spice Cake
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (sift before measuring)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1/4 pound) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 extra-large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 recipe Caramel Frosting
3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350* F. Using Special Grease, grease two 9x2-inch ro und cake pans; set aside. Place 2 bake-even cake strips (from Wilton) in cold water; let stand. Onto waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; set aside. Extract the excess water from the bake-even cake strips. Wrap and pin the strips around the prepared cake pans; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, place he butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar; using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until creamed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well on medium-high s peed after each addition. Add, alternately, the flour mixture in fourths, and the buttermilk in thirds, beating on low speed after each addition only until blended.
Using a large mixing spoon, spoon the cake batter equally into the 2 prepared cake pans. Using a small, narrow spatula, lightly and quickly spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake the cakes for 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and place on wire racks; remove the cake strips. Let the cakes stand to cool 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans; let stand on wire racks until completely cool.
Then, frost between the layers, and the top and side of cake with the Caramel Frosting. Srinkle the chopped haxelnuts over the top of the cake. Let the cake stand until the frosting sets. Then, place the cake in an airtight container.
Note: Although not as satisfactory, the pans may be greased and floured in substitution for using Special Grease.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH, 2-LAYER ROUND CAKE; 12 SERVINGS
Caramel Frosting
3/4 cup (1/4 pound plus 4 tablespoons) butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup half-and-half
3 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
In a large mixing bowl, place he butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar; using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until creamed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well on medium-high s peed after each addition. Add, alternately, the flour mixture in fourths, and the buttermilk in thirds, beating on low speed after each addition only until blended.
Using a large mixing spoon, spoon the cake batter equally into the 2 prepared cake pans. Using a small, narrow spatula, lightly and quickly spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake the cakes for 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and place on wire racks; remove the cake strips. Let the cakes stand to cool 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans; let stand on wire racks until completely cool.
Then, frost between the layers, and the top and side of cake with the Caramel Frosting. Srinkle the chopped haxelnuts over the top of the cake. Let the cake stand until the frosting sets. Then, place the cake in an airtight container.
Note: Although not as satisfactory, the pans may be greased and floured in substitution for using Special Grease.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH, 2-LAYER ROUND CAKE; 12 SERVINGS
Caramel Frosting
3/4 cup (1/4 pound plus 4 tablespoons) butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup half-and-half
3 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
In a medium-small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar; stir to combine. Over medium heat, bring the brown sugar mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat. Add the half-and-half; stir vigorously to blend. Return the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
Leave the brown sugar mixture in the saucepan and refrigerate it until the mixture is cooled to slightly warm (about 40 minutes), stirring intermittently. Then remove the mixture from te refrigerator; set aside. Place the powdered sugar in a medium mixing bolw. Add the brown sugar mixture; using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed only until blended and smooth.
MAKES ENOUGH TO FROST ON 2-LAYER, 8 OR 9-INCH ROUND OR SQUARE CAKE, OR THE TOP OF ONE 9X13-INCH SHEET CAKE
Leave the brown sugar mixture in the saucepan and refrigerate it until the mixture is cooled to slightly warm (about 40 minutes), stirring intermittently. Then remove the mixture from te refrigerator; set aside. Place the powdered sugar in a medium mixing bolw. Add the brown sugar mixture; using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed only until blended and smooth.
MAKES ENOUGH TO FROST ON 2-LAYER, 8 OR 9-INCH ROUND OR SQUARE CAKE, OR THE TOP OF ONE 9X13-INCH SHEET CAKE
**Special Grease**
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Place the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until perfectly smooth. Place in an air-tight container; store in the refrigerator. Special Grease will keep in the refrigerator for several months. *Special Grease replaces both the grease and flour when used to prepare a pan. (Do not flour the pan after applying Special Grease.)
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