Caramel Cake

I made this cake recently for my father in law's birthday. While I liked the cake and thought it yielded a nice caramel flavor, my cakes were quite flat and dense, not soft and fluffy as I usually like my cakes. I'm not sure if that is how they are supposed to be or not.

Nevertheless, it was a yummy cake and I enjoyed making it for my father in law's special day. He works extremely hard so that his family can have the things they want. My son adores him and he adores my son. I can't ask for much more than that. Gabe just LOVES when Pappa is off work and they can spend the day together. The two of them spend hours "fixing stuff" and working in the yard together and Gabe always thoroughly enjoys the time he gets to spend with his Papa. Thank you Clark for all that you do!

Caramel Cake
Martha Stewart


Ingredients
Serves 8
Nonstick cooking spray with flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup Caramel Syrup, plus more for serving
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
Caramel Frosting
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, line each with a parchment paper round, and spray again. Set pans aside.
2.Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue to beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in syrup.
3.In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4.Beat eggs until foamy in another bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir into cake batter until well combined.
5.Divide cake batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until cakes spring back when gently touched in the center, about 25 minutes. If cakes do not spring back, return to oven and continue cooking about 10 minutes more.
6.Cool cake in pans for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto a wire rack and remove parchment paper round. Let cakes cool to room temperature before frosting.
7.Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy susan. Place the first layer on the cake plate. Spread the top of the first layer with frosting. Top with the remaining layer, bottom-side up. Spread entire cake with frosting; remove parchment paper strips. Serve cake drizzled with any remaining caramel syrup.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Martha Stewart

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 ounces of softened cream cheese
1 package (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Directions
1.In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind; let cool.
2.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and butter. With the mixer on low, slowly add cream; beat until smooth. If frosting seems too thick, stir another tablespoon cream into the mixture.