Super Simple Caramel Layer Cake

What's the frosting?
Caramel.
Caramel?!
Yes.
But it's pink!
Correct.
Pink caramel?
Yes.
Seriously, why?

Because I felt like it. The caramel frosting was so light-colored, at first I figured I'd make it orange for Halloween. But the pink & white roses in my sprinkles cabinet are screaming to be used for a fun & colorful layer cake so I adjusted the color of the frosting to them. The cake is very sweet, pink and totally kitsch! But the more I love it. The caramel frosting was amazing, so delish! Rating: 4.5 out of 5.




Vanilla & Caramel Layer Cake:

Ingredients:
- 275g plain flour
- 50g corn flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 225g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 300g caster sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 250ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla paste

For the Dulce de leche Buttercream:
- 300g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 225g icing sugar
- 40ml milk
- 150g dulce de leche, store bought or homemade

Instructions:
- Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C.
- Sift together the flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- In the bowl of a freestanding mixer, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, around 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, around 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- With your mixer on a low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in 3 batches and the milk in two. Add the vanilla along with the last portion of milk.
- Once all of the ingredient have been added, scrape down the bowl and beat the batter once more just until smooth, around 5 seconds.
- Divide the batter among the prepared cake tins and smooth the top with a rubber spatula and drop the pans lightly on the counter to expel any air bubbles.
- Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, around 30 minutes.
- Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for around 20 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.
- For the frosting: In the bowl of a freestanding mixer, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, around 1 minute. Add the icing sugar and milk and beat until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes.
Add the dulce de leche and beat until fully incorporated.
- Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or cake plate and spread with buttercream, top with the second layer of cake and spread buttercream across the top and sides.