Caramel Layer Cake

Work quickly to spread the frosting on the cake before it begins to set. We call for light brown sugar in the cake to lend a subtly sweet flavor, but dark brown in the frosting to provide a contrasting rich caramel flavor. You can use light brown sugar for both the cake and frosting, if you prefer.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Ingredients

• Cake:
• Cooking spray
• 1  tablespoon  cake flour
• 1  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 7  tablespoons  butter, softened
• 1/2  cup  egg substitute
• 2  cups  cake flour (about 8 ounces)
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  fat-free milk
• 
  Frosting:
• 1/2  cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  butter
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Lightly coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.

Place 1 cup light brown sugar and 7 tablespoons butter in a large mixing bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute to sugar mixture; beat well. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with 1 cup milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Remove wax paper; discard. Cool cakes completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, combine 1/2 cup dark brown sugar and remaining ingredients in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring constantly.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

298 (29% from fat)

Fat:

9.7g (sat 6g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

5g

Carbohydrate:

48.5g

Fiber:

0.3g

Cholesterol:

28mg

Iron:

1.9mg

Sodium:

238mg

Calcium:

136mg