12 Layer Cake

This is one impressive cake!!! I have put the ingredients for both the chocolate icing and the caramel icing.

Recommended Technique: If you buy inexpensive aluminum foil cake pans at the grocery store (they can be saved for another time as well), you will be able to knock out layers in no time. And no washing between baking!

12 Layer Cake

Ingredients

  • CAKE
  • 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
  • (I use margarine in the cake batter.)
  • 2 ½ cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • CHOCOLATE ICING

  • 3 cups sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, pref Dutch process
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut up
  • 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • powder sugar if needed
  • CARAMEL ICING

  • 2 boxes light brown sugar
  • 2 sticks butter
  • ¾ cup milk
  • pinch of baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • powder sugar if needed

Instructions

  1. CAKE DIRECTIONS
  2. Position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375F. Spray four 8 ½ to 9 inch pans (you will bake the cakes in three batches). (Sometimes I line the bottoms of the pans with parchment, but not always.)
  3. To make the layer, sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture one more time, and set aside.
  4. Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle blade on high speed until light in color and texture, about three minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and be sure the mixture is well blended. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk. Begin and end with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Using a scant cup for each layer, spread the batter evenly in the pans. It will make a thin layer.
  5. Staggering the pans on t he racks so they are at least 2 inches from each other and the side of the oven and not directly over each other, bake the layers until they feel firm when pressed in the centers and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 12 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert the layers onto cake racks and cool completely. Wash and prepare the pans. Repeat the procedure until all 12 layers have been baked and cooled.
  6. ICING DIRECTIONS
  7. Put first 4 ingredients on medium heat. Stir until sugar is melted. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Move to cool place and let rest for 5 minutes. Add vanilla. Beat until thickened enough to spread but still pourable.
  8. Make sure to cover your cardboard, or cake plate with wax paper strip, because this can be messy. I pour about ¼ cup of icing in a spiral on the first layer and place the next layer pressing down lightly with my hand in the center. Continue this process until all layers are placed. Try not to put too much icing between layers or they will begin to slide around. You may pour the remaining icing over the cake as a glaze, or beat in powdered sugar to make a thicker icing to frost the outside of the cake.
  9. It has lots of eggs, lets call it “good for breakfast.”

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