Today is my birthday!
I’m not telling you how old I am but I will give you a hint – next year is a very BIG birthday for me!!!
Here I am on my first birthday – aren’t I a cutie!
One thing I learned, years ago, to assure a happy birthday is to just ask for what you want. Don’t let people guess! So what do I want for my birthday? Like all good bloggers I love comments and blog subscribers. In fact, two of my goals for 2009 are to increase comments on my blog and to increase my subscriber count.
So as a birthday gift to me I’d love for you to forward the link to my blog to a couple of your friends and encourage them to subscribe or add me to their rss reader! Also, if you have never left me a comment I’d love to hear from you. It’s really not hard. Just click through to the actual blog if you are reading this in an email update and scroll on down to the end of the post – click where it says comments and say hi! I promise it’s not hard and I’d love to hear from you.
So what is a birthday without a cake? I am not a big cake fan, in fact I’d prefer pie to cake, but when it comes to birthdays I am a firm believer in cake!
My cake of choice growing up was always an angel food cake, usually with either pink or purple frosting.
I have gotten a little bit more sophisticated since then although I still love angel food cake. The past few years I have enjoyed a poppy seed cake with lemon cream cheese filling and frosting from the local Beaverton Bakery – yum!
This year I decided to take things into my own hands and make my own cake. Now if my husband still wants to buy me my favorite cake from Beaverton Bakery I won’t refuse!
Lately I have had a thing going for caramel cake and I’ve been experimenting with different recipes. The caramel cake I made for my birthday is one I found over at Smitten Kitchen.
The cake is made from scratch and is light and moist. I find some cakes that are made from scratch too heavy and dense but this one is not. Be sure and use cake flour.
The frosting is really a soft caramel – it is so good!!! One of the reasons I eat cake is for the frosting and this one doesn’t disappoint if you like caramel.
I wish I could share a piece with all of you but since I can’t I’ll just have to eat your piece too!
The recipe makes a 8 x 8 cake which is a perfect size for my reduced size family!
I’m off to “Eat Cake” and enjoy some girlfriend time for lunch, a massage and dinner out with Jim and Tessa.
Caramel Cake
For cake
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
1 C well-shaken buttermilk
For caramel glaze
1 C heavy cream
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Equipment: a candy thermometer
Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan and line with a square of parchment paper, then butter parchment
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture may look curdled). Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.
Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.
Make glaze:
Bring cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Boil until glaze registers 210 to 212°F on thermometer, 12 to 14 minutes, then stir in vanilla.
Put rack with cake in a shallow baking pan and pour hot glaze over top of cake, allowing it to run down sides. Cool until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.
Note: Cake (before glazing) can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Happy Birthday Leigh Anne! With each blog, I find we are more and more alike! I ALWAYS had an angel food cake for my birthday and I much prefer pies to cake . . But, I am a huge caramel fan so I’ll have to give this cake a try. It sounds yummy! Enjoy your lunch, your spa treatment and your dinner out (and of course that yummy cake!) Hope you’re having a wonderful day!
Have a happy, happy day. I always make my favorite dessert on my b-day. Black forest brownies–to die for!! I love your blog, I made your Elephant Bar soup last night, It was delish. Enjoy!
Happy, happy birthday. I so enjoy your site. I love the recipes. I thought all those Christmas cookies looked so good that I made 8 different recipes–all big successes. Thanks for sharing with us.
Leigh Anne, Happy birthday to you!! I wish you the best and hope your day has been wonderful! I read your your blog every day and really enjoy it. It has been a great inspiration to me as I try to make meals for my family, celebrate the holidays, and decorate my home. You do it all so well and make it look effortless. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, goals, and family with us. It’s been a delight.
Hope it’s a wonderful day for you…you deserve it!
Go girl!
Happy Birthday!!! I love your blog, you are on my blogroll. I hope I am sending a few readers your way!
I know we could all use more comments!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, dear Leigh Anne. . . . .Wow. You got your wish. . . . .Look at all the comments and readers! Love you, dear sister!
Happy Birthday! I love birthdays! Hope yours was very special. Thanks for such a lovely blog! I do enjoy it immensely!
Happy Birthday … I hope you enJOYed your special day : )
I subscribed/RSS’d your site this year and read it each time you post. I love the recipes and tried several over the holidays. I have shared your site with many of my friends and have mentioned it a few times in my posts.
As I look over your comment list, I can see your life has been richly blessed with caring friends and family.
Wishing you many blessings in the coming year,
Karen aka colinsgrandma, “JOY on the Journey
Happy Birthday! I hope it was a great day for you. I love birthdays! Since almost losing my life six years ago in a car accident, I celebrate my birthday every year by taking the day off work and treating myself. I love your receipes and just made the fat chewy cookies today! Huge hit! I have been telling all my friends about your blog. Hope your year is filled with blessings and challenges to grow from!
Happy Birthday! I am a regular at your home base blog but not so good at leaving comments, sorry. I do however tell lots of people about you. Hope you had a great day!
Happy Birthday! I am new to your subscriber list and to the whole “blogging” thing, I must say I am having a blast! Anyway, hope you have a great birthday.
Happy Birthday! When I read your blog I see the joy in your life and it’s infectious. When I bring one of your recipes to a family gathering and they rave about it, I tell them it’s from my new friend Leigh Anne. I’m a fan of your blog. I live in southwest washington, so appreciate all the Portland hot spot info. Anyways, hope your day was a great one.
Happy Birthday! I hope it was even better than expected!
I love a January birthday. I have one too. It gives you a chance to tie up any loose ends from Christmas! Ya know, add to the gift you got.
Hey, Happy Birthday! That cake looks YUMMY! I’ve already confessed to my massive lack of baking skills (or desire to acquire them, either), so I will just admire from afar. Hope this next year (before the BIG ONE) is a good one for you!
Happy Birthday!!! Eat tons of cake.
Love reading your blog and a belated Happy Birthday to YOU!
Leigh Anne – I love your blog! As a mother of two little ones I am often overwhelmed by all I have to do each day to keep our family life running smoothly – your blog is a great daily pick-me-up…and your recipes, decorating tips and gift ideas are fabulous. You are truly inspiring. Keep up the great work. Happy birthday! Lisa
This looks fantastic! Thanks for the recipe–and happy, happy birthday!!
Blessings!
I’m catching up on my blog reading. Happy late birthday! And about your goals? I’ll leave more comments for you, if you leave more for me
I made this cake on Sunday and I have 1 word to describe it: EVIL!
It was sooooo delicious, thanks for the recipe.