Butterscotch cake with crushed almond praline
Disclaimer: this was supposed to be a butterscotch cake. It's not. But it is completely luscious.
It was my dad's 50th birthday yesterday. When it comes to dessert, my dad is a man of very simple tastes. I think you can learn a lot about a person's palate from their choice of ice cream. For example, my sister will always go for chocolate, to my eternal consternation. My mother and I lean towards mint chocolate chip or coffee, but if there's something that sounds interesting and/or a little outlandish, I will try it. My dad sticks to three flavours: vanilla, butterscotch and banana. He might have strawberry, but only if he's feeling especially fruity.
You already know why I didn't go for banana this time, but I thought a butterscotch cake would be fun to try out anyway. Turns out, not so much. I wanted to recreate the butterscotch ice cream flavour you only really get in India - it's completely different and far more subtle to the American counterpart. Every recipe I found for the ice cream used butterscotch essence. No problem, I thought, there are so very many Indians in Dubai, it shouldn't be too hard to find. Six or seven shops later, I'd found mango, strawberry, rose, melon, lemon, pineapple, saffron and even biryani essence - but no butterscotch.
Anyway, much hair-tugging and recipe-searching later, I decided on the following: a four-layer butter cake with mostly vanilla frosting, one layer of essence-free butterscotch frosting and sprinkles of crushed almond praline throughout. Why not just go for the butterscotch frosting? Too sweet. I used Style Sweet CA's absolutely incredible recipe for a vanilla bean butter cake - it's so good, it doesn't even need anything else. But the problem with flavours like butterscotch and vanilla is that there's nothing to cut through the sweetness: no bitterness from dark chocolate or coffee, no zing from lemon and no tang from cream cheese. Tessa recommends pairing the cake with a whipped vanilla buttercream, which I normally adore, but for a four-layer cake means at least six cups of sugar for the frosting alone. Birthday cakes should never be healthy, and this butterscotch cake definitely isn't, but the idea just made my teeth hurt. In the same way, if I scaled up the recipe for the butterscotch frosting, which you make like caramel and then add icing sugar to, it would be equally sugar-laden.
Doesn't it look dreamy? This butterscotch frosting is absolutely delicious and was my forlorn attempt, along with the praline, to make this essentially vanilla cake closer to butterscotch. I slathered it thinly between each layer of cake and then thickly as the middle layer of frosting, in place of the vanilla. But actually, you don't need it at all. I'll use it on something else in future but I'm not even going to include the recipe below. I know what you're thinking - yes, I am crazy. But the butterscotch frosting makes this cake tether on the edge of being too rich, when really, the vanilla frosting just steals the show.
Honestly, this vanilla frosting is divine. Originally the pairing to Magnolia Bakery's red velvet cake, it has a third of the sugar of its buttercream equivalent. More importantly, it's light, silky smooth, spreads like a dream and goes perfectly with the butter cake and crushed almond praline. I think it would be wonderful on coffee cake but also so easy to change up with different flavourings. Definitely one I will come back to again and again.
If you're still with me haha, here is the recipe below. I know I've made it seem insanely arduous, but now that you've vicariously experienced my struggles, the actual cake is a doddle to make and so good, it would be a shame not to. Four layers of soft, buttery cake covered in almost cloud-like vanilla frosting and dusted with caramelised crushed almond praline. It's everything a special birthday boy or girl deserves. Happy birthday, Dad! You're the best.
Vanilla Bean Butter Cake
Recipe from Style Sweet CA. Makes one 9" cake.
INGREDIENTS
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- OR 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.
Combine dry ingredients together; set aside. Combine sour cream and milk; set aside.
Beat butter on medium-low speed of electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla bean seeds; mix on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy and pale in colour, about 2 to 4 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl.
Add eggs and eggs yolks, one at a time, beating on low speed until blended. Add vanilla extract; beat on low speed until blended.
Add in half of the flour mixture. Once this is incorporated, pour in the milk mixture while the mixer is running on low speed. Once the milk is absorbed, add in the remaining flour mixture. After the last streaks of flour are incorporated, mix the batter on medium-low speed for about 20 seconds until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool cakes on a wire rack for about 15 minutes or until pans are cool enough to handle; remove cakes from pans. Continue to cool on wire rack until cakes are at room temperature.
Wrap each layer in a double layer of plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days before cutting and frosting. (Chilling makes the cakes easy to cut.)
When ready to frost, cut each layer horizontally in half and spread with the creamy vanilla frosting, sprinkling the crushed praline over every layer. When the cake is fully assembled, apply a light crumb coat over the cake and then chill for ten minutes. Remove and smooth over the remaining vanilla frosting and dust generously with crushed praline.
Serve in thin slices. This cake is also fabulous with strong coffee the next day.
Creamy Vanilla Frosting
Recipe from Epicurious. Makes enough to frost one 4-layer 9" cake.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
METHOD
In a medium-size saucepan, whisk the milk into the flour until completely smooth. No clumps of flour should be visible. Place over medium heat and, stirring constantly, cook until the mixture becomes very thick and begins to bubble, 10-15 minutes. Cover with waxed paper placed directly on the surface and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium high speed for 3 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating continuously for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat well.
Add the cooled milk mixture, and continue to beat on medium high speed for 5 minutes, until very smooth and noticeably whiter in colour. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes (no less and no longer—set a timer!). Use immediately.
Crushed Almond Praline
Adapted from Taste.com.au.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/4 cup slivered or roughly chopped almonds
METHOD
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture turns golden. Remove from heat. Set aside for 2 minutes to allow bubbles to subside. Add almonds. Pour onto prepared tray. Allow to cool. Break praline into shards.
Crush the shards in a mortar and pestle, or inside a sandwich bag with a rolling pin.
