Caramel Cake -Quick-and-Easy, Taste of the South Magazine

By MarieR

Ingredients

• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 3 3 large eggs
• 2 2 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 2cups 2cups cake flour
• 2 2 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1 1(12-ounce) 1⁄4 1(12-ounce) jar plus 1⁄4 cup caramel topping, divided
• Easy Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
• 2 2(8-ounce) packages 2(8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 5 5 cups confectioners’ sugar

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.