Caramel Cake

I'm sure many of you became curious with the title of this Caramel Bolo recipe. Looking at the photos, it probably also made you hungry. And it's no wonder! Virginia, from Sweet&Sour, leaves us caramelized with this recipe that comes from afar, typical of Madeira, explained with all the love and detail, just as well as she knows how to do.

I don't know if the same happens to you, but in my case, every summer a few ingredients that I can't easily find in nearby markets come back home with me in my suitcase, along with a bunch of memories and many photographs, but also a recipe or two and lots of inspiration.

The Bolo de Caramelo I bring you today isn't exactly a recipe that came back with me in the suitcase, but it did arrive in my daughter's, after her trip this summer to Madeira. She knows that for her mommy the best gift is anything related to gastronomy.

It's a caramel cake that has the peculiarity that part of the sugar we incorporate into the batter is added in the form of caramel, which gives us an intense caramel flavor. But also, to make it more indulgent, we bathe it with a topping in the form of a sort of toffee with walnuts. Tell me if it's not a special cake? One of those sweets that will make you a hit at any gathering. And note, it also has autumnal vibes, thanks to the fresh walnuts in the topping.

I prepared it using my Le Creuset Skillet, one of the most versatile pieces in the kitchen, because it's just as good for cooking savory dishes on the stove as for these baked sweets, and best of all, it goes straight from the oven to the table, with that rustic yet carefully styled presentation.

Ingredients (Serves 8)

For the caramel sponge base:

• 84 g butter at room temperature
• 200 g brown sugar
• 266 g self-raising flour or cake flour, sifted*
• 2 "L" eggs at room temperature (yolks and whites separated)
• 200 ml milk
• 83 g white sugar
• A pinch of salt

*You can substitute self-raising or cake flour by mixing for every 6 cups of all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons of baking powder.

For the caramel and walnut topping:

• 450 g white sugar
• 125 g butter
• 150 ml milk
• 175 g fresh walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preparation

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan we make a caramel with the 83 g of white sugar. When we have the caramel, we remove it from the heat and add the warm milk, mixing well until all the caramel dissolves into the milk. You may need to heat it a little to help this dissolution. Set aside until it has cooled slightly.
2. Preheat the oven to 180oC, top and bottom heat.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the brown sugar until you obtain a fluffy, homogeneous mixture. I usually do it with my Kitchen Aid, so if you have one it will be very easy, just fit the paddle and beat at speed 2 for a few minutes, until the butter turns a paler color and becomes airy. The rest of the process will also be done with the paddle attachment at speed 2.
4. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated. Next add the sifted flour and the caramelized milk we reserved, alternating and in three additions, always finishing with the flour. Be careful not to overbeat once you add the flour, just enough to combine. Otherwise you'll get a rubbery cake.
5. In a small, very clean bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks with the pinch of salt. In this case, those who have a Kitchen Aid with the bowl clean and replacing the paddle with the whisk attachment, will start whipping at the lowest speed until they foam, then speed 2-4-6 until they are whipped. Once our egg whites are ready, fold them into the batter with enveloping movements.
6. Grease our Le Creuset Skillet and pour the batter into it. Level and bake on the middle rack for about 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Meanwhile prepare the topping. In a wide-base frying pan make a caramel with the sugar. When you have the caramel add the butter and milk, mixing well until the caramel has integrated with the butter and milk into a dense, glossy cream. Finally add the coarsely chopped walnuts, mix and let the nuts soak up this “toffee”. Set aside.
8. When our cake is baked, remove it from the oven and place our Le Creuset Skillet on a rack. Using a knitting needle or a skewer, poke holes all over the surface. Pour 2/3 of the hot topping over the cake, keeping the rest warm. The topping will penetrate through those holes and flood the cake. Let rest a few minutes.

Serve our caramel bolo warm with a scoop of ice cream, red fruits and the rest of the hot caramel sauce in a small sauce dish to indulge even more. Another option instead of serving it with ice cream, and how I prefer it, is with a quenelle of creme fraiche, which is the ideal counterpoint to the deep sweetness of the caramel. Absolutely delicious. A cake to triumph with, I assure you.