Army Cake with Caramel Icing
Light vanilla cake with a decadent caramel pour-over icing. Impressive and delicious but easy to make! Great dessert for entertaining!
Ingredients
- 18.25 ounces vanilla cake mix will probably need 2 boxes to measure out 18.25 ounces as current cake mix packages vary in weight depending on brand
- 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled slightly
- 2 eggs
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Caramel Icing
- 2 sticks salted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the cake:Preheat oven to 350℉. Butter the bottom of a 13x9 rectangular baking pan and set aside. Beat the cake mix, butter, eggs and buttermilk at low speed of an electric stand mixer until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides and add the vanilla and the almond extracts. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed until batter is smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Pour the batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. Check to see if done by inserting a wooden pick into the middle of the cake. Will come out clean when done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
- Make the icing:In a medium saucepan, melt the butter together with the brown sugar and cream. Stir well and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for about 2 minutes until all the brown sugar is dissolved and mixture is light tan in color. Stir in the salt and remove from heat. Carefully pour this hot sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat, using the wire whisk attachment, for about 2 minutes or so. The powdered sugar should be completely incorporated and the texture will be shiny and thick but easily pourable. Pour the icing on top of the cake and use a spatula if necessary to smooth evenly over the whole cake. The icing will set in 20-30 minutes. Enjoy!