Chocolate Monday: Caramel Love Cake

Red Velvet & Caramel Frosting

To whom do I owe this beautiful recipe? Maya Angelou and her Grandmother. Dr. Angelou was such an important figure in my teen years. So much so that,  my 2nd daughter's First Name is Maya. I didn't have the honor of meeting Maya Angelou in person, but I felt encouraged by her courage. In "Hallelujah the Welcome Table" all the recipes were interesting, but this cake really peaked my interest. A  caramel cake, flavored by a caramel syrup poured into the cake. After looking at the amounts of sugar in the cake..  and then the sugar in the syrup, then the sugar in the frosting!  I kinda thought it would be extremely sweet for me and I might want to adjust it a bit, but I've learned to always make a recipe the way the original cook made it first.  It's wasn't too sweet, especially without frosting it was a hit with everyone;D One women ordered the cake with walnut and not frosting. I was happy to oblige, and she was very happy with the results. 

The story behind this Caramel Love Cake is a story of ego, assumption and righting wrong. Dr. Angelou said the cake was one of the ways her grandmother expressed love, because of the preparation and ingredients. So I dubbed it the "Caramel Love Cake." You'll see why when you make it! People love it Naked or Covered with the caramel frosting...by the way, it won't last two days.  
After writing this post, by some work of  connectivity, I found the video on which Martha Stewart had Dr.Maya on her show and she talked about the event that brought about her Grandmother making the cake.
A must see 3 part video here. If you've ever been mistreated as a kid and had to suck it up...You'll be free to let it all go when you treat yourself to this, 

Caramel "Love" Cake _ From Maya Angelou "Hallelujah the Welcome Table"

Maya Angelou's Grandmother's cake,

8 Tbsp. (1 stick butter)

1 1/4 c. sugar  

*1/4 c. Caramel Syrup recipe below

2 c. flour sifted all-purpose

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. milk

2 large eggs

Caramel Frosting (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 375F. 
Line two 8 in.  layer cake pans with oiled, wax paper or parchment. 

Caramel "Love" Cake
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, and add 1 c. of sugar gradually until light and fluffy. Beat in syrup.
 *remember its only 1/4 c. of the caramel syrup(recipe below), not the whole syrup mixture.

In a medium mixing bowl sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Fold sifted ingredients into creamed mixture, alternating with milk.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, beat eggs for 3 min., until foamy. Add remaining sugar, and beat until there is a fine spongy foam. Stir into cake batter until blended.

Divide batter between cake pans. Bake for about 25 min. Remove pans from the oven. Gently press center of cake for springiness with a finger. The cake should spring back when the finger is removed. If it doesn't, return to oven for 10 min. Cool in pans for 10 min. Turn out onto a rack, and remove wax paper. Let cakes cool to room temperature before frosting.

To assemble Center on cooled cake layer on cake plate.  Cover top and sides with a generous helping of frosting.  Place the second layer evenly on frosted layer. Repeat frosting procedure. Make certain that sides are completely frosted. Cool in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Caramel Syrup

1 c. white sugar

1 c. Boiling water, then almost another cup as sugar dissolves.

I used equal parts of water...Heat sugar in heavy skillet over low heat. Stir constantly until melted to a brown liquid. When it bubbles over entire surface, remove from heat. Slowly add boiling water, stirring constantly. Pour into 2 c. measuring glass to cool.

Caramel Frosting

1 1/2 stick of  butter

One 16 oz. package confectioners' sugar

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Brown butter over medium heat- don't let it burn, but if you let it get an aroma of browning on it, all the more flavor. Allow butter to cool. In a large mixing bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, cream, vanilla extract and salt to the butter, and beat until smooth, If frosting is too stiff, add a tablespoon of half and a half of full cream to thin.

During Silver Springs Annual Garage Sale 
6 frosted Caramel Love Cakes
Waiting for their Caramel drizzle.