Caramel Cake Recipe

I call this recipe a marriage of posts. 

I now pronounce you, Japanese Cheesecake and you, Caramel Pudding, a Caramel Cake. 

Just like that. (I am doing some finger snaps for some added effect)

Simple.

Easy.

Bake Happy.

Did I just make an impromptu poem? Can't remember the last time I made a poem. So I guess this calls for a toast. Or a bite into this oh so cottony soft cake with caramel pudding as its icing. I have been thinking about   making a caramel cake for a while now and this is all I have say - why didn't I make this sooner?! I mean, really, just now?! I think I just missed one half of my life by making this only now (that's me making an exaggeration. Okay fine, just one fourth).

So a word from me to you - 

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet.", okay so that's from Sarah Louise Delany. But if I may add, "Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet. So go bake a Caramel Cake" :)

Caramel Cake

What we need:

For the Cake:

recipe adapted from Diana's Desserts

140g granulated sugar 

6 egg whites 

6 egg yolks 

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 

50g butter 

250g cream cheese 

100 ml fresh milk 

1 tsp. lemon juice 

60g cake flour 

20g cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt.

1tsp vanilla exract

For the Caramel Icing:

adapated from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 cup milk

6 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoon water

3 1/2 cups milk

Here's how:
(1) To make the cake, melt cream cheese, butter and milk in a pan over a pot of simmering water. Let it cool.  

(2) Once the mixture has cooled down, fold in the flour, cornstarch, egg yolks, lemon juice. Make sure to mix well. 

(3) In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.

(4) Gradually fold in the cheese mixture into the egg white mixture. Lastly, add in the vanilla extract. 

(5) Pour batter into a 8-inch cake pan. Since we'll be baking the cake in a water-bath  make sure to prep the pan before baking. Line the inside of the pan with parchment paper then wrap the outside with aluminum foil. Our goal is not too let water seep into the baking pan, okay? 

(6) Bake the cake in a water bath for 1 hours 10 minutes or until set and golden brown at 325F

(7) To make the icing, combime 1/2 cup milk, vanilla and cornstarch. Mix well until well combined. Set aside.
(8) In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Cook over moderate heat. 

(9) Now, I used flash for the next pictures so you can see how the color changes. Caramel is very moody. There's a thin line between a good caramel and a burnt caramel. You need to keep your eyes open and your senses alert. Now it starts to boil. Action is starting! This step will happen in about 8 minutes.

Changing color very slightly...

Now it's in the color we want it, golden brown. It's as caramel as caramel can get.

(10) When it's achieved the color we want, remove from heat and add the 3 1/2 cups milk. The sugar will seize but don't be disappointed. Continue cooking and the sugar will melt into the milk. Cook for another 10 minutes.

(11) Gradually whisk the cornstarch mixture into the milk mixture. Cook again over moderate heat, stirring, until the pudding thickens, about one minute. Strain and transfer to a bowl. 

(12) Now here's the tricky part, how do we cover the cake with the icing? Icing should still be hot and fluid when we pour it over the cake otherwise the icing will look like it curdled as we apply it to the cake. 

You can do it 2 ways - 
(a) Set the cake in a cooling rack (make sure the cooling rack is placed above pan of some sorts to catch the caramel drippings. Yum! (oops I got disracted). Then pour the icing over it, evenly. Let it cool and transfer the cake in a stand (or wherever you want it) using spatulas. 
(b) Place the cake in a cake stand (this is what I did) and insert strips of parchment paper under the cake. Place the strips just about at the edges, otherwise you'll get a hard time pulling them out later. Then pour the icing over it, evenly. The strips will catch drippings. Let it cool and one by one, pull out the strips and tada! 

Caramel cake is served.