italian dessert recipes

Caramel Cake

"Sticky Buttery Good"




caramel cake
This caramel cake recipe is sticky buttery good. This is one of those Italian cakes that came out of my grandma's cookbook. (The Italian grandma)

I've always had a love for butter and brown sugar. I'll take it any day over chocolate.



There's nothing complex or frilly about this. I'd classify it as an easy cake recipe. Just because it's one bowl from oven to the dessert plate!

I usually like to doctor up a recipe so that it conveniently fits into my Italian dessert recipes category. BUT I just couldn't add anything to this. It's awesome just like it is.



If this wasn't the type of caramel cake you were looking for - scroll below and see the collection of Italian cake recipes I hav on my sitee. I've made them all. Some of these recipes have been in my family for generations!

Thanks for stoppping by -
Lisa

See some creative ideas in the section below.




Caramel Cake



YIELD: 1 - 9 inch cake

INGREDIENTS:

* 9 ozs butter. (2 sticks plus a wee bit more - yep really! )

* 1/3 cup brown sugar

* 3/4 cup nuts chopped ( walnuts or almonds)

* 1 cup sugar (white )

* 2 tsp orange zest

* 3 eggs (lightly beaten)

* 2 cups flour

* 3/8 tsp salt

* 2 1/2 tsp baking soda

* 1 cup of PLAIN yogurt



Procedure

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

* Grease a DEEP 9 inch round cake tin or spring form pan.

* Melt 2 ozs of butter and pour on the base of the pan.

* Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter.

* Beat the sugar, zest, and remaining butter with a mixer for about 5-6 minutes. Looking for it to be pale and creamy.

* Add the eggs gradually , beating after each addition.

* Fold in the yogurt alternately with the flour.

* Spoon the mixture over the butter brown sugar in the cake pan.

* Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.( Yes really - but keep a good eye on it!)

* Cool for at least 30 minutes before putting on a serving plate.



Substitutions and Questions



What yogurt type works best?


Whole milk for sure! Or Greek style yogurt. If you use some preservative laden low-fat yogurt -make sure and drain it for awhile. You want the yogurt thick when you add it to the cake.

Can I use shortening for the butter?


Not a chance - you won't get a caramel flavor! The butter calories as so worth the flavor.

Can I use lemon zest?


I have before and my family comments, "This tastes like a lemon cake." The orange zest works better with the caramel. But it's your recipe. You decide!

Can I use pecans?


I'm sure you could. We just don't use them in Italian dessert recipes. Not that there is anything "wrong" with them - but our culture uses walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds primarily. I've not tried it. But I think it's a go.

Back to the caramel cake.










Lisa Gianotti

Memorial Day and Warmer Weather Treats!



It's finally warming up! In my neck of the woods we had SNOW on May 2nd. Now were on to the warm weather sweet treats!

I started celebrating by having a Sangria last night. Sangria is so easy to make - and the trick to making it spectacular is - following the super easy procedure. IF you need a brush up see:

How to Make Sangria

As for Memorial Day Goodies - I bake the LESS sticky stuff if I have to travel. And something that the kids can grab with their fingers as they cruise by the dessert table and run off to their next game. Cookies and brownies work the best for this!

The past month, these are my top five most viewed cookie recipes:

#1 Anisette Cookies

#2 Italian Wedding Cookie Recipe

#3 Pizzelle Recipe

#4 Ricotta Cheese Cookies

#5 Meringue Cookie Recipe

Have a fun filled Memorial Day!



Lisa


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Recipes on this site are from family cookbooks, family traditions, or intentional adaptations from traditional recipes to add an Italian flair. If a recipe was adapted or used from another cook - it is mentioned on the recipe page and the recipe author is given credit.