Caramel Cake, Quick-and-Easy Sheet Cake

By MarieR

Ingredients

• BAKING TIP
• Be sure to let the cake cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting to keep it from melting.
• 1 ⁄2cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ⁄2cup sugar
• 1 ⁄2cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ⁄2teaspoon salt
• 3 ⁄4cup half-and-half
• 1 (12-ounce) jar plus 1⁄4 cup caramel topping, divided
• Easy Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
• Easy Cream Cheese Frosting
• Yield: approximately 4 cups
• Ingredients
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
• Instructions
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and vanilla. Beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.

Details

Servings 10
Adapted from tasteofthesouthmagazine.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars at high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, beating to combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with half-and-half, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes in top of warm cake. Pour 1⁄4 cup caramel topping over cake. Let cake stand at room temperature to absorb caramel and cool completely, approximately 2 hours.
Spread Easy Cream Cheese Frosting over cooled cake. Pour remaining 1 jar caramel topping over frosting. Drag a butter knife through caramel topping to swirl.