Brown-Sugar Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- Comments()
- Prep Time 1 hour
- Total Time 4 hours
- Yield Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
- 3 cups cake flour, plus more for pans
- 2 cups packed dark-brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- Marzipan Animals
Directions
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment. Butter paper, and flour pans. Beat together butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together flour and salt. In another bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture and starting and ending with flour mixture.
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Divide batter between pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans, about 30 minutes. Invert cakes, remove pans and parchment, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
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Trim tops of cakes with a serrated knife to make level, then cut each cake in half horizontally. Reserve 1 bottom layer for another use. Place remaining bottom layer on a cake stand, and spread evenly with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Repeat with a second layer and another 1 1/4 cups frosting. Place third layer on top. Spread entire cake top and sides with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Refrigerate cake until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread with 1 1/2 cups frosting, smoothing top and sides. Serve immediately with marzipan animals, or refrigerate up to 2 days; if refrigerated, let cake come to room temperature before serving.
I was super excited to make this recipe for my friend's birthday, but it was a complete disaster! Every time I've used a Martha cake recipe, it's been perfect. The cake sunk terribly in the middle. I ended up making another cake with half the amount of sugar. It was much better. As for the frosting, I practically had to start over, but was able to save it by adding a little powdered sugar.
Will not be making this again!
I'd like to make this recipe gluten-free for Christmas. I'll definitely change the flour. Any other recommendations?
Frosting was super rich. Kids did not like. Cake was good, but fell in the middle. That has never happened to me before. Frosting turned out much darker than picture. Marzipan animals were tricky, but ended up looking cute, but sweaty/shiny!
I made this recipe today and strongly advise against the frosting. I've learned in the past that Martha's recipes can be unforgiving and followed this one to a "T". The 6 CUPS of butter ruins the frosting!
So I ditched Martha's frosting and instead used a vanilla buttercream filling between layers, and a cream cheese frosting and it turned out beautifully and tasty!
I also added few teaspoons of the caramel to the butter cream frosting too, which was a nice touch.
I also had a terrible time with the frosting and question the use of SIX sticks of butter. Is there a typo? The frosting was a complete mess :-(
Tried this icing...did not look or ice cake as in pictures...way too thin. Not sure I will try this again...very expensive to make and not the results I was expecting. Followed directions exactly so not sure what happened.
Tried this icing...did not look or ice cake as in pictures...way too thin. Not sure I will try this again...very expensive to make and not the results I was expecting. Followed directions exactly so not sure what happened.