Buttermilk Layer Cake with Praline Icing

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Ingredients

• Cake:
• Cooking spray
• 2  teaspoons  all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4  cups  granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup  butter, softened
• 2  large eggs
• 1  large egg white
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  low-fat buttermilk
• 
  Icing:
• 1  cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 6  tablespoons  1% low-fat milk
• 1  tablespoon  dark corn syrup
• 2  teaspoons  butter
• Dash of salt
• 2  cups  powdered sugar
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  tablespoons  chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, and line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour.

Combine the granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add the eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well with a whisk. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.

Pour the batter into prepared pans. 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. Carefully peel off wax paper, and cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare the icing, combine the brown sugar and the next 4 ingredients (brown sugar through dash of salt) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer until slightly thick (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Pour brown sugar mixtureinto a large bowl. Add powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Cool 2 to 3 minutes (icing will be thin but thickens as it cools).

Place 1 cake layer on a plate, and spoon 1/3 cup icing onto the cake layer, spreading to cover. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top with pecans. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

301 (25% from fat)

Fat:

8.2g (sat 4.4g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:

3.6g

Carbohydrate:

53.9g

Fiber:

0.5g

Cholesterol:

45mg

Iron:

1.1mg

Sodium:

213mg

Calcium:

42mg