These past days have been very stressful and sad here due to a huge storm that flooded many neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires, with devastating results.
Part of my house was flooded, and while I lost many things or had furniture ruined, there were others who lost so much more, including their lives.
Growing up, all birthday cakes had dulce de leche in the middle. Though the layers usually came from a box, having this wonderful milk jam so readily available, solved the eternal what-should-I-fill-the-cake-with question. Though it made all cakes
pretty much the same.
The thing is that, it is such an amazing combination both with chocolate or vanilla layers, it’s a great shortcut. If you’re new to using dulce de leche, you´re in for a sweet surprise of the best kind.
My craftiness with cakes is limited, mainly due to my almost lack of patience when it comes to perfectly even layers and piping bags. So there’s usually one layer of filling, enough frosting to even out imperfections, a rustic look courtesy
of a spatula and a sprinkling of something on top.
If I had one of those turning tables, I would definitely sprinkle the sides with praline. But I don’t, so I usually end up with praline, or whatever it is I’m using, covering the whole counter and not evenly covering the cake.
That said, it’s the flavors that make the cake. So I actually like rustic endings, because there’s never so much anticipation as with unbelievably perfect decorated cakes
whose flavors don’t quite measure up.
whose flavors don’t quite measure up.
Though how would I know, right? ja
Here, you get what you see.
Tender vanilla buttermilk layers with a hefty dose of dulce de leche and an even heftier dose of double chocolate cream cheese frosting.
All with a good amount of hazelnut praline.
All with a good amount of hazelnut praline.
Man, it’s good. A really good cake.
For a birthday, or just because.
For a birthday, or just because.
It can even
be made in stages, since the layers can be wrapped up for a few days, and the
frosting kept in the fridge.
be made in stages, since the layers can be wrapped up for a few days, and the
frosting kept in the fridge.
What’s your favorite layer cake?
I almost made dark chocolate layers, but in the end choose some contrasting colors. Buttermilk is the ingredient of choice for this month’s Chocolate Party, the group started by Roxana of Roxana’s Home Baking.
Last month it was caramel, remember the salted caramel millionaire’s graham cracker bars? Or the triple chocolate clusters the month before? You get the idea. We like chocolate. A lot.
I almost made dark chocolate layers, but in the end choose some contrasting colors. Buttermilk is the ingredient of choice for this month’s Chocolate Party, the group started by Roxana of Roxana’s Home Baking.
Last month it was caramel, remember the salted caramel millionaire’s graham cracker bars? Or the triple chocolate clusters the month before? You get the idea. We like chocolate. A lot.
This cake went over to a friend´s house, sans one slice. She also got the strawberry cinnamon swirl bread, the olive sables, the cherry bundt cake, the raspberry almond loaf and some amazing caramel congo bars that I am posting on monday over at Hip Foodie Mom.
I usually give her most baked goodies, and it turns out she takes some over to other friends´ houses. So now, her friends expect homemade baked things from her.
And they know I´m the one who makes them, and they certainly don´t mind that they´re never whole, always missing the part which was needed for the pictures.
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Buttermilk Cake with Dulce de Leche Praline Filling and Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Ingredients
For the buttermilk cake:
- 1 ¾ cups 200g all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5.5 oz 155g unsalted butter, room tº
- 1 1/3 cups 260g sugar
- 3 large eggs (room tº)
- 1 ½ cups dulce de leche
For the hazelnut praline:
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup hazelnuts (toasted and skinned)
For the chocolate frosting:
- 5 oz milk chocolate
- 9 oz bittersweet chocolate
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cream cheese (room tº)
Instructions
For the buttermilk cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC. Butter and flour or spray a 9inch (24cm) round springform cake pan.
- Sift flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Reserve. Mix buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl or glass cup.
- In a large bowl beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, and beat for 4 or 5 minutes, until very light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth between additions. Beat for 1 minute after adding the third egg.
- Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with liquids in two additions. Don’t beat this too much, it should only be mixed until well blended. Over beating will make the cake tough.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for for 40 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in center comes out clean.
- Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes and inverto onto a rack and let cool completely before filling and frosting.
- Cut the cake in half, trying to cut it as even as possible. To achieve this, start by using a large thin knife, and cut while rotating the cake. With each turn, the knife should go deeper, until you reach the center. At that point the cake will be completely cut in half.
- Spread dulce de leche on top of one half, spreading evenly but without touching half an inch from the edge. (That way, when you press the second layer on top, the dulce de leche will reach the edges but not spill).
- Add half of praline on top of dulce de leche. Top with the other cake layer, press lightly and frost with chocolate frosting.
- The best way to frost is to take about half the frosting and make one layer covering the whole cake. Then take the rest of the frosting, and even it out as best as you can.
- Sprinkle remaining praline on top and serve.
For the hazelnut praline:
- Melt sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir a few times as it starts to melt.
- It will clump at first. Then it will start turning golden, at which point stir it some more to prevent it from burning in spots.
- Finally the whole of the sugar will melt and the liquid will be a deep amber color. Be very careful because it goes from deep golden to burnt just like that.
- Immediately add hazelnuts, stir to coat all of them in the caramel and dump onto a silpat or oiled surface, such as marble or baking tray. Let cool.
- Try to break praline as much as you can. Then place between two sheets of waxed paper, and with a rolling pin, break into small pieces.
- Transfer these pieces to the food processor and process until finely ground. Some larger pieces will remain.
For the chocolate frosting:
- Melt both chocolates on top of a double boiler or in the microwave. Be careful not to burn it.
- Let cool until lukewarm, then add to the room tº cream cheese.
- Add the salt and beat with an electric mixer until very smooth and shiny.
cake layers from Baking for all Occasions, by Flo Braker; frosting adapted from Cakes, by Maida Heatter
Stacy says
April 6, 2013 at 19:20I LOOOOOVE that you put more nuts in the middle too on top of the dulce de leche filling, Paula! Absolutely fabulous! It's a beautiful cake.
I am sorry that you suffered any damage but, as you say, it's hard not to be grateful when so many lost so much more. I hope you were able to save the most precious things. For me that would be family photos and other irreplaceables. In time, we can always buy a new rug or sofa. Heart-connected family items are harder to replace.
Kate@Diethood says
April 6, 2013 at 19:27Holy moly!! My jaw is on the floor… I want!! That is beautiful!
I also don't have patience for cakes… I give up at the very beginning! 🙂
Lisa says
April 6, 2013 at 19:56Paula…I made a similar cake last year for my BF's birthday, but I made a macadadmia praline. However, it was nowhere near as gorgeous as yours! This cake is mind-blowing, aesthetically and flavor wise. I'm dying to see your cinnamon swirl challah…and I know there is no way it's ugly! Your baking skills are off the charts, seriously.
Holly @ abakershouse.com says
April 6, 2013 at 21:01This is a beautiful cake, even the name makes me hungry and happy! I am terribly sorry to hear of the floods and am sorry you've had to experience that this week. Thanks for sharing your positive attitude and your concern for others who lost even more. Take care!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
April 6, 2013 at 21:45Paula, I'm so glad you are OK. Most things can be replaced, thank goodness! And this cake, I give thanks for that. I am going to try this. What do I have to do to be that friend that receives everything? I hope she is skinny or she won't be for long!
Viviane Bauquet Farre - Food and Style says
April 6, 2013 at 22:41Paula, this looks incredible!
ahu says
April 6, 2013 at 23:25Paula – this cake looks incredible. Best to you and the community as you recover from the devastating flood!
Renee says
April 7, 2013 at 00:36I'll be dreaming about this cake for days, no make that months. I've come back to look at this post at least three times already. What a special cake. Seriously. Very special. It's one I would love to have for my birthday and half-birthday and quarter-birthday.
Gloria Baker says
April 7, 2013 at 01:21Paula this look absolutely delicious!, me mata el dulce de leche!!
Que terrible lo de las inundaciones Paula y que pena tus cosas, de todas maneras son cosas que cuesta tener, pero me alegro que estes bien, espero se vayan recuperando.
Me impresiona que haya sucedido en esta época que aún no es invierno!
Un abrazo
wp_vknotes_admin says
August 21, 2013 at 01:25Gracias Gloria, por suerte ya empezamos a recuperarnos.
Laura says
April 7, 2013 at 02:05You already know that I love dulce de leche–this cake looks fabulous.
I am sorry to hear about the flooding. I hope your community recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
yummychunklet says
April 7, 2013 at 02:32Oh, the filling and the frosting look divine!
Medeja says
April 7, 2013 at 04:54So sorry to hear about the floods. But I am really glad you are ok yourself.
This cake looks so gorgeous 🙂 I wish I could ask you to make a cake for my birthday 😀
The Sketched Chef says
April 7, 2013 at 09:45That looks extremly beautiful and tasty !
Laura Dembowski says
April 7, 2013 at 12:44I hope you are doing okay, Paula and things get back to normal quickly 🙂 This cake looks great! I love dulce de leche and the hazelnut praline has my mouth watering.
Liz Berg says
April 7, 2013 at 14:19Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your flooding…I hope your life and the lives of those affected by the storms will be back to normal ASAP.
I love that you grew up with dulce de leche filled cakes…what delicious memories! And I'm the same way with decorating cakes…simple and easy. Yours is beautiful!
Pink Patisserie says
April 7, 2013 at 14:37Beautiful and I bet deliciously yummy! I don't think I've ever had a cake with dulce de leche in the middle, but I will now! So sorry to hear of the flooding there, but glad to hear that you all are alright..
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
April 7, 2013 at 15:00Paula, I'm incredibly sorry to hear about the devastation happening in Buenos Aires! My heart goes out to you. While it's terrible to lose physical possessions that you love and cherish, I'm relieved that you're safe and you haven't lost any loved ones. I'm thinking of you and sending prayers and best wishes to your city.
As for cake…I love your attitude, girl. Cakes don't need to look perfect – they need to TASTE perfect and I know that this one does. Gah – there is so much amazingness in there, I'd do anything for a slice right now! I wish I grew up with dulce de leche filled cakes. I guess I just need to start making them now.
thelittleloaf says
April 7, 2013 at 17:40I'm so sorry to hear about your house but I'm very pleased you managed to still make this incredible cake. It looks so so yummy. Hope you're ok and keeping safe with a big slice of this 🙂
Sandra Lee says
April 7, 2013 at 17:45Happy to hear that you're OK. Your cake looked amazing worth all the time and calories. I have to start giving away my baked goods again.
www.you-made-that.com says
April 7, 2013 at 18:29This is a beautiful cake that looks so rich and delicious. I'm sorry you had problems with flooding :(. I like your positive attitude to realize you still have so much while others lost much more. I hope you get everything fixed soon and back to normal.