Daring Bakers: Sweet tooth beware!


We were back to baking with butter and sugar this month, something I have no complaints about (and have plenty of on hand still.)

I mean, really, how horrible can it be to be making a Caramel cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting? And having the option of making homemade caramels, which, I admit, I opted to not make (not when there were two different bags of yummy caramels in my baking pantry for chewing away at.)

This months challenge came to us courtesy of Dolores, Alex, and Jenny, who chose this recipe from Shuna of Eggbeater.

Writing this now, and finally following the link to Shuna's original recipe, I realize I should have followed that link on the first day, rather than just printing the recipe, reading the recipe several times, and then making the recipe. I might have been a bit less disappointed with the final results. Now, looking at the pictures there, I see I was indeed supposed to have a fairly dense, one layer only, cake with a thick icing on top. Which is what I had. I simply think I had something else in mind when I read the words "caramel cake with caramelized butter frosting." Something with layers. And lighter.


Not to say the cake wasn't good. It was tasty. But sweeeeeeeeeeet! Actually, no, the cake wasn't overly sweet. It was just the frosting. Make your teeth ache, give your kids a sugar high, send a diabetic into shock, kind of sweet.

For a change, I had no problems at all with making the caramel for this. I have been known, in the past, for burning my first batch of caramel since it had this nasty habit of going from light color to black and billowy in an instant. This time, I stood on guard, I watched, I showed patience I was not feeling, and I was rewarded with a nice amber colored syrup that made the house smell sweet (instead of the usual burnt sugar smell) And it was nice making a caramel without the sound of the smoke detector going off.

Now that this challenge is done, I'm anxious to find out what next month's challenge will be, the December challenge. Will the DB's be making something sweet, or savory? Will I need to wait until I can unpack my baking pans, or is the one flat pan I left out going to be enough? Will I need to replenish my spice cabinet, which I took the opportunity to clean out while packing up all but my most frequently used spices? I may have been patient making the caramel for this months ultra sweet confection, but I'm certainly not feeling patient about next month's challenge!

So while I wait, I will be attempting to read some of the 1000+ other posts about this months cake, though please don't take it personally if I don't leave a comment on yours. With that many cakes, and my limited free time right now, comments will be few this month. So in case I can't comment on your challenge.... "Your cake looks amazing, I can't believe what you've managed to do with it! Did we make the same recipe?!?!"

23 comments:

Shaheen said...

A pat on your back for completing the challenge! :) I wish we make something savory the time around, but being the holiday season, I think it's quite unlikely!

BC said...

Bahaha, I made cupcakes so maybe you'll have to say "Nice sweets tootsie!"

Yep, the icing was achingly sweet. A little over the top for my liking but the flavours were subtle and clear.

Megan said...

Yeah, I agree - tooth achingly sweet. Not my favorite recipe, but it's all about the challenge, I know!

Sara said...

Your cake looks exactly like mine did. We enjoyed it, although the caramel was traumatic for me as always.

vibi said...

Congrats Jenny, for a very well accomplished challenge!
I don't know yet if it is as sweet as you say, for I haven't tasted it... but just with licking my fingers yesterday and almost falling in a diabetic coma... LOL I believe you!

Dolores said...

I'm glad you found success with the caramel this time. Great job. Thanks for baking with us, and good luck with the packing/unpacking.

I'm as anxious as you are to hear about the December challenge!

Sherry Trifle - Lovely Cats said...

You have made a beautiful cake. I am sorry it was a bit too sweet for you but I'm sure people enjoyed it very much.

Karen Baking Soda said...

I had exactly the same revelation looking at all the completed challenges! Clicking away I saw dense cakes..mine wasn't bad at all! And yours isn't either!
We did good!

creampuff said...

It was sweet, wasn't it! But it was good ... and December should be good too ...

:o)

Anonymous said...

Your cake looks gorgeous. I loved this recipe. YUM!

Gretchen Noelle said...

Great job! Funny how we at times think things should turn out a certain way and they don't. Glad you liked your final cake.

Elle said...

YOUR cake looks great! Sweet but pretty! Maybe cookies for December? That would fit on the sheet pan :)

Meeta K. Wolff said...

well done! i was glad that i did not frost too much - it took away the sweetness. great going!

maybelle's mom said...

Definitelyt sweet, and I agree can't wait to hear about the next challenge.

Camille said...

I love your general comment on the bottom and I thank you for stopping by my blog. Your cake came out wonderfully! Like you, I am already looking forward to December's challange. I agree...this was a very sweet cake.

Bumblebutton said...

Bravo to you for showing patience you were not feeling...if only I could do that more often. Nice job, even if it wasn't what you were expecting!

Sweets T said...

Totally agree on the recipe! Too much! I love sweets, but this was too much.

Peabody said...

I have read lots of people say it was sweet. I want to make it now to see.

Unknown said...

Great job! My family must enjoy achingly sweet b/c I had evidence of little fingers in my icing!

Anonymous said...

Haha! I love your technique w/the comment at the end. No kidding! (I can borrow it, right?) I printed out the recipe, too, and didn't really do any reading until right before, then went back thru the forum to see what types of questions people were asking. Plus, I like looking at some of the end results just to get myself motivated. You hit the nail on the head w/ your description of this cake -- but I liked it. Plus, it wasn't as complicated as some of the others, so I'm sure it will get made again.

Anonymous said...

Your cake looks yummy. I loved this recipe. I didn't add all the sugar to the frosting so it wasn't too sweet.

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Love your "comment" - so perfect!
Looks to me like we baked the same cake. I did like this one. Loved that browned butter.

Anonymous said...

Your cake looks perfect, so it's hard to believe it could have been the least bit disappointing!