Caramel Sheet Cake, Quick-and- Easy

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick; 4-ounces) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half
  • 2 jars (12-ounces each) prepared caramel topping, divided
  • Easy Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 2 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups confectioner's sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation: 10 minutes Bake: 25 to 30 minutes Cool: 2 hours
Easy Cream-Cheese
Frosting (Recipe follows.)
PREHEAT oven to 350°. Lightly spray a 13-x-9-x-2-inch baking pan with baking spray with flour; set aside.
IN A MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. IN A LARGE BOWL, beat butter and sugar at high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, stirring to combine.
WITH MIXER AT LOWEST SPEED, add flour in 3 batches, alternating with half-and-half and beating until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan. BAKE until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Using a wooden spoon handle, poke several holes in warm cake. Pour 1 jar prepared caramel topping over cake. Let cake sit at room temperature to absorb caramel and cool completely, approximately 2 hours.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Yield: approximately 4 cups Preparation: 5 minutes
IN A LARGE BOWL, combine cream cheese and vanilla. Beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Spread over cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

SPREAD Easy Cream-Cheese Frosting over cooled cake. Pour remaining 1 jar caramel topping over frosting in a zigzag pattern. Drag a butter knife through caramel topping to create desired design. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.