Southern Sour Cream Caramel Cake

 



 

Caramel Cake has been a favorite of our family for years. My parents lived in South Georgia on Lake Seminole after they retired and left Florida. They both grew up in that area between Colquitt and Donalsonville. A good caramel icing is a requirement for every South Georgia home cook. I've watched my mother and her sister's boil to the soft ball stage, look for that certain shine, whisk, beat and pour out the perfect icing. Me, I'm not quite so accomplished at producing the perfect caramel  icing. Years ago, I started making this quick version that turns out perfectly every time. The only secret is to work very, very fast, before it has time to harden. The cake is a sour cream version that we adapted from a yellow cake mix. The sour cream helps make the cake not so sweet and is a great partner for the icing that has a candy consistency.

 

Sour Cream Yellow Cake

 

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Grease and flour 3 9 inch round cake pans.

Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes - our cakes were ready in 18 minutes

 

Quick Caramel Icing

 

1 stick butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sutar

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Combine butter and brown sugars in heavy saucepan.

Bring to a boil and boil for two minutes.

 

Add heavy cream and bring back to a boil.

Remove from heat

Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla. 

Beat with wooden spoon until all sugar is incorporated and is spreading consistency.

Working very quickly, immediately spread between layers of the cake.

If the icing hardens, return the saucepan to low heat and simmer until proper consistency.

 

We made two batches of the Quick Caramel Icing for this three layer cake.

.