Caramel Frosted Pound Cake

Caramel Frosted Pound Cake

 

A little background story.  Aaron and I revisited Charleston, SC a few years after our honeymoon so we could spend more time enjoying more of what that quaint little city had to offer.  On one of our excursions, we went to this little store called "Charleston Cooks."  It was a cooking boutique full of little gadgets and cookware.  One of the cool things about this store is that they hold cooking classes.  They have classes where you are part of an audience and a chef cooks for you (much like the Emeril show or Rachel Ray).  They also had classes where YOU were the cook as well.  One of the classes we took was an "audience" class.  It was probably the coolest thing I have ever experienced and the   food the chef made was DIVINE!  One of the things she cooked was a caramel frosted pound cake.  It was moist, lightly sweet, and just the right size serving.  The caramel frosting was slightly "grainy"  and gave it a perfect amount of texture.  At the end of the class, they give you a sheet with all the recipes so you could create these delectable dishes at home.  Well, here it is! 

Thank you Charleston Cooks!

 

Caramel Frosted Pound Cake

Pound Cake

 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup sour cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1.       Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.       Beat butter in bowl of stand mixer until creamy.

3.       Gradually add sugar, and beat until light and fluffy.

4.       Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until incorporated

5.       Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

6.       Add the flour mixture, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

7.       Stir in vanilla.  Divide batter among 12 silicone muffin cups or a greased/floured muffin tin.

8.       Bake for about 20-25 mins or until a cake tester (toothpick) inserted in the middle comes out clean.

9.       Cool in pan on rack for about 8-10 minutes and then invert cake onto a plate.

 

 

 

Caramel Frosting

¼ stick unsalted butter

¼ cup packed brown sugar

1/8 cup half and half

¼ cup powdered sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1.       In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.

2.       Add the brown sugar and stir over low heat until the sugar is melted.  I always find that leaving the brown sugar a little “grainy” makes for a great texture on the finished product, so not melting the sugar all the way is always acceptable J.

3.       Add the half and half and bring the mixture just to a boil.

4.       Remove from heat and whisk in 1/8 cup powdered sugar.

5.       Cool slightly, and whisk in the vanilla and remaining 1/8 cup powdered sugar.

6.       Keep whisking until frosting thickens slightly.

7.       Pour over cooled pound cakes!