9. Caramel cake
You will need:
2 ¾ cup plain flour
¼ cup milk
1 pack (8oz) sour cream
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
For caramel frosting
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar
How to:
Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease and flour two nine-inch baking pans.
Combine the sour cream with milk and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, blend the butter until it becomes creamy. Add the sugar and blend again. Add the eggs one at a time while beating continuously.
In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in the butter mix and the sour cream mixture alternately, and continue to whisk each time you add the ingredients.
Stir in the vanilla and beat it to make a smooth batter. Divide the batter equally between the two pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Test with a toothpick and remove the cakes. Leave them on the wire racks to let them cool completely.
For the caramel frosting, melt the butter in a pan and add brown sugar. Let it boil for two minutes while stirring continuously.
Add the milk and stir the mixture and let it come to a boil. Take it off heat and transfer it into a bowl. Let it cool.
Stir in the sugar, little by little and beat the mixture well each time you add the sugar.
Place one cake on a serving plate, spread some caramel frosting on top. Place the other cake on top of this and cover the top and the sides with the caramel frosting.
10. Chocolate plum cake
You will need:
125g self-raising flour
175g unsalted butter, must be at room temperature
175g brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
50g cocoa powder
175g ground almond
75g dark chocolate, chopped
400g plums
3 tablespoons plum reserve
2 tablespoons flaked roasted almonds
2 tablespoons demerara sugar
How to:
Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease a 23cm baking tin or pan.
In a bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until it becomes fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time.
Fold in the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and ground almonds. Fold in the chocolate.
Take spoonfuls of the cake mix into the prepared baking pan and level the surface using the spoon.
Slice the plums into thin and rounded slices and place them on the batter. Push them slightly into the batter and sprinkle the demerara sugar on top.
Bake for 60-75 minutes or when the cake is fully baked – test with a toothpick to check.
Let the cake cool completely while it is in the tin.
Melt the preserve a little with a spoon or so of water in a pan. Brush the cake with this preserve mix and serve.
