Triple Caramel Shampoo Birthday Cake

Sweet Pea had her 7th birthday a couple of weeks ago.  I tried a new cake recipe for her special day instead of the usual chocolate cake.  When I was putting the finishing touches on the cream and making it look fluffy on the cake, Bacon walked into the kitchen and exclaimed, "That looks great!  It looks like a head full of shampoo!"  Well, I don't know if that was the look I was trying to emulate, but the dessert was a big success.  Slice, eat, repeat.

Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine and Best American Recipes 2005-2006.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups whipping cream
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS
In a 2-quart saucepan on medium heat, gently bring 2 cups cream to simmering.  

Meanwhile, put 1 cup sugar in another medium pan on medium heat. Leave undisturbed until sugar begins to melt and darken. Gently swirl pan to distribute sugar. Remove from heat when sugar has all melted and is dark amber, about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325F.

While stirring constantly with wooden spoon, slowly pour in hot cream to make caramel. Return pan to burner. Turn heat to low. Boil gently, stirring often, 5 minutes. Set aside at least 30 minutes, stirring often, until cool.  Set aside 1 cup of the caramel for the batter and store 1 cup of the caramel in the refrigerator.


Grease and line with parchment paper two 8" or 9" cake pans.*   Using electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and remaining 1-1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time until blended. Scrape sides of bowl. Beat on medium-high until fluffy.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. At low speed, mixing until barely incorporated, beat 1/3 of dry ingredients into batter, then 1/2 cup caramel, then 1/3 of dry ingredients, then 1/2 cup of caramel, then the remaining dry ingreidnets.  Scrape sides of bowl. Finish blending gently with spatula.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake on lower rack of oven until tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.  Flip cakes out of their pans and cool completely on rack.

When ready to assemble the cake, bring refrigerated caramel to room temperature (a quick 3-5 seconds in the microwave can help if necessary).  Spread half of it between the two cake layers and set the other half of the caramel aside.

Whip the remaining 1 cup cream until firm peaks form. Fold in the rest of the caramel, leaving streaks. Makes about 12 servings.

*You can use a Bundt pan for this recipe...just drizzle the caramel sauce over the cake and then serve with dollops of whipped cream on the side.