Belated Birthday Cake

I tried to resist the temptation to bake a cake for my birthday but I could only hold out one day. So this is my Belated Birthday Cake, a classic Devil's Food Cake with Caramel Icing.

Devil's Food Cake

1/2 cup butter - room temperature

3/4 cup (caster) sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup strong coffee - room temperature

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Heat the oven to 350F/180C.  Prepare two 8 inch round cake pans by greasing them then dusting them with flour.  Place a circle of baking paper in the bottom of each tin. 

Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beat until well combined.  

In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.  Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and mix to combine.  Add 1/2 of the coffee and mix.  Continue alternating dry ingredients with coffee, mixing after each addition.  Do not over beat or your cake will be tough. Finally, stir in the vinegar. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins and bake for about 25-30 minutes.  

Check the cakes at 20 minutes, you don't want to over bake them.  When baked, turn the cakes out on a wire rack and remove the baking paper.  Leave the cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Traditionally, Devil's Food Cake is served with chocolate frosting but I prefer this simple cooked Caramel Frosting.  

Caramel Frosting

1/2 cup soft light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 1/2 tablespoons milk 

1 cup icing sugar

Place the light brown sugar, butter, and milk into a small sauce pan.  Place the pan over a medium heat, stirring until the butter melts.  Allow this mixture to boil for two minutes then remove it from the heat and leave it to cool.  Add the icing sugar to the cooled caramel mixture and beat until fluffy.  

Use half the caramel frosting to 'sandwich' the cakes together and the other half to top the cake.... candles are optional!