Caramel Drip Cake

For the cake

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour (170g)
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp pink salt(Himalayan salt/table salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter milk(at room temp)
• 1/2 cup+2tbsp castor sugar
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs medium sized, At room temperature
• 1 M nozzle
• Piping bags
• 8” round cake pan
  

For salted caramel sauce

• 1 1/2 cup granulated Sugar
• 1/3 cup water(6tbsp)
• 1 1/2 cup  double cream (warm)
• 6 tbsp butter (at room temp)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt (pink salt) or table salt

For salted caramel butter cream

• 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter( 280g), Softened
• 2 1/2 cup icing sugar( 400g), Sifted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp pink salt(Himalayan salt)/table salt
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp caramel sauce(you can add more if you like more dark coloured frosting)
• 2-4 tbsp whole milk

To make Homemade buttermilk

1. Take 1/2 cup milk (at room temperature) and add 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes before adding to the batter.

To make Soft vanilla cake

1. All ingredients should be at room temperature.
2. Sift all purpose flour + salt+ baking powder, set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar on medium for 2minutes, add in vanilla, oil beat for 1 minute, add 2 eggs (one at a time), beat after each addition, make sure to scrape the bowl so the butter gets well mixed in.
4. Beat the batter until light and fluffy(approx.2 minutes).
5. Add in dry ingredients and butter milk-alternate these 2 ingredients, start with dry ingredients and end on dry ingredients .
6. Pour batter in prepared cake pan( grease and line 8” round cake pan with parchment paper)
7. Tap cake pan gently to remove air bubbles.
8. Bake cake for 30-35 minutes in the pre heated oven at 165*C(329*F) or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, leave on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make salted caramel sauce

1. Put sugar into a deep heavy-bottom saucepan. Pour water over it, then let it sit at least for 1-2 minutes before cooking as it helps the sugar to dissolve.
2. Cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved (don’t stir)
3. Use a wet pastry brush to gently wipe any sugar crystals off the side of the pan to prevent crystallisation.
4. Once the all sugar is dissolved, put a lid on your saucepan and cover the pot with a lid for 3-5 minutes or until the sugar starts to change its colour. This helps to dissolve the sugar crystals on the side of the pan (This step prevents your caramel from crystallisation).
5. When sugar starts  bubbling, Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook. A glass lid is excellent because you can see the development of your caramel, just take a peek after every minute and keep peeking shortly thereafter (don’t stir, instead gently swirl the pan occasionally.
6. When sugar starts to change its colour(amber), you can take the lid off completely.
7. Let syrup boil at medium heat until it turns into a deep amber colour with few wisps of smoke, (don’t stir, gently swirl your pan occasionally) then Immediately remove the pan from heat.
8. Carefully add warm double cream and whisk carefully as the mixture will bubble up and can splutter, add butter, vanilla extract and salt. Stir until smooth.
9. Put it back on low heat for 30 sec. Keep stirring until caramel is smooth (approx.time for entire process is 10minutes)
10. You can pass the caramel through a strainer to remove any lumps of sugar.
11. Let it cool, then transfer to an air tight container. Store for up to 1 month in the fridge.
12. It will thicken more as it cools.
13. Caramel solidifies in fridge. Reheat it in a microwave for few seconds.

To make sugar syrup

1. Boil one cup water with 2 tbsp of sugar just for one minute.

To make salted caramel buttercream

1. In the large bowl, beat the butter for 1 minute, add the icing sugar in three batches, beat after each addition, gradually add vanilla extract, salt, milk (according to the required consistency) and beat until it is well combined (3-4 minutes), scraping the bowl down several times so the butter gets well mixed in.
2. Add 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp salted caramel sauce(at room temperature) and mix to combine, beat for one minute until light and fluffy.
3. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag snd set aside.

Assemble the Cake

1. Salted caramel sauce should be at room temperature, if it is thick heat in a microwave for 5-10 seconds, if it is hot just keep in the fridge for few minutes.
2. Place the first cake on a cake stand, soak with sugar syrup, then frost the cake with a  layer of the buttercream, then drizzle caramel.
3. Place the second layer of cake on top and repeat the same.Place the third layer of cake on top, frost the cake all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream, keep in the fridge for 30 minutes to set the coating.
4. Frost the cake all over with a final coat of buttercream, smooth the top by pallet knife and the sides by bench scraper.
5. To make frosting smooth, fill a large vessel or bowl with hot water, dip your pallet knife or bench scraper into the water then pat it dry and gently smooth out the frosting(as shown in the video).
6. keep it in the fridge for 15-30minutes.
7. Take salted caramel, if it has cooled too much reheat it again for 5 seconds or if it is hot just wait for 5-10 minutes, fill a bottle with the sauce, apply this drip around the cake.Start from the back to check the exact consistency of caramel then apply around the cake, spread on top and make it fine with pallet knife.
8. Decorate your cake with any design on top with caramel buttercream (I used1 M nozzle)
9. Refrigerate your cake for at least 1 hr before slicing.

NOTES

1. You can keep this frosted cake at room temperature for up to 2 days but keep it covered(in an air tight container).It can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.