Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Club: BAKED: Caramel Apple Cake


This is the latest installment of Club: BAKED. Check out Lulu the Baker's blog for the recipe. Awesome selection!

Anyone who reads the smittenkitchen knows about Celebration Cakes. This is a Celebration Cake: a glorious 3-layer apple cake with an elegant caramel buttercream. I baked this cake for Paul's birthday. He took one look at it on the cake stand and said "that's one tall cake!"

I made the applesauce on Saturday (using McIntosh, Cortland, Fuji, and Golden Delicious apples), the caramel on Sunday, then baked the cake and whipped the buttercream on Monday. I'm glad I spread out the components because you cannot rush this cake. Take your time. Enjoy the process.

I previously baked the Whiteout Cake from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking which uses a similar buttercream. Warming the sugar/flour/milk/cream mixture reminds me of making a bechamel. It takes 10-15 minutes, but it's so worth the wait. I think the flour balances the sweetness. I beat the warm flour mixture for probably 10-12 minutes until it was cool to the touch. I worried that my butter was too warm when I added it, but it came together lovely. I had to restrain myself from licking the bowl. I often have a ton of leftover buttercream, but this recipe is the right amount. The ratio of cake to buttercream is right on!

This cake is very forgiving. I noticed several kind of large craters cracks in the middle when I added the second layer. I started to bum out...before remembering that frosting is really spackle! I added enough to cover the cracks. The cake held together and sliced like a dream. Perfection!

This is what is looked like after we burned 18 sparkler candles on it. Excuse the red candle drips and the smear. Photography is hard work.




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11 comments:

  1. K.November 1, 2011 at 3:26 PM

    Your cake looks amazing! You spackled those craters amazingly! I cannot even see the slightest hint of one!

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  2. Every Day BlessingsNovember 1, 2011 at 6:45 PM

    Your cake looks perfect, just like the picture! A great birthday cake!

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  3. Gloria - The Ginger Snap GirlNovember 1, 2011 at 9:31 PM

    Now that's a birthday cake! You were very wise to break up the work over a couple of days. Your cake looks great and I bet it lit up with the sparklers!

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  4. KirstenNovember 1, 2011 at 9:37 PM

    Great job on your cake.....I need someone to make me something like that for my birthday!

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  5. JulieNovember 2, 2011 at 6:15 PM

    Your cake looks beautiful! What a wonderful birthday cake!!

    I see you live in Prairie Village. I am a KC native, lived there all of my life until relocating to Omaha 6 years ago!

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  6. joanNovember 3, 2011 at 11:01 AM

    Thanks, K! I kept adding more frosting. Let's just say my crumb layer was rather thick!

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  7. joanNovember 3, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    Gloria -- I just cannot stay focused enough in one day to do all the steps. I tend to bake at night so I'll try to squeeze in whatever I can before bedtime.

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  8. joanNovember 3, 2011 at 11:04 AM

    Kirsten -- I know, right, who bakes cakes for us???? I'm going to bake my own next year.

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  9. joanNovember 3, 2011 at 11:06 AM

    Hi Julie -- How's Omaha? I saw Fiona Apple at the Qwest Center several years ago. It was fabulous! I need to check out your zoo. I've heard such great things about it!

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  10. AnonymousNovember 5, 2011 at 4:24 PM

    This is one beauty of a cake. I bet this would impress anyone.

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  11. joanNovember 9, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    Thanks, Bookcase Foodie! Your blog is great. Can't wait to check it out.

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