Yellow Cake with Caramel & Browned Butter Frosting

This cake was this year's "Happy Birthday" cake for my husband who didn't care what cake he got as long as it had browned butter in it (essentially ghee) and caramel. I balked as my internal calorie counter burst into flames, but finally succumbed and made this.

The cake just serves as a vehicle to deliver the delicious frosting. In terms of taste, the caramel flavor dominates, followed by the warm taste of ghee.

Ingredients:

1. 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1/2 cup / 1 stick butter, at room temperature
3. 3/4 cup sugar
4. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5. 2 eggs, at room temperature
6. 1/2 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, add half a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to milk and let it sit for 10 minutes)
7. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting:

1. 1/4 cup caramel / Nestle's Dule de Leche
2. 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3. 1 cup powdered sugar
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5. 2 tablespoons milk (or as needed to get the frosting to desired consistency

Preparation:

1. Butter and flour a 9 inch cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Mix flour and baking soda together
3. Cream butter until soft. Add sugar and beat until fluffy
4. Add eggs and beat until mixed
5. Add vanilla extract and half of the buttermilk and beat until mixed
6. Add half of the dry ingredients (flour and soda) and mix with a spatula
7. Add remaining buttermilk and mix with a spatula
8. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix gently with a spatula until just combined
9. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake for 20-30 minutes until a tester comes out clean
10. Cool pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Then loosen the edges with a knife and slowly invert cake onto a plate
11. When the cake is at room temperature, prepare frosting:
1. Melt the butter on medium heat, stirring periodically until it turns golden and bubbly (about 7-10 minutes)
2. Remove from heat and add to another bowl. Whisk / beat in the sugar and vanilla extract
3. Slowly add milk and whisk until frosting reaches desired consistency (stiff enough to spread)
12. Spread frosting on cake
13. Decorate with caramel or dulce de leche

 Serve at room temperature and enjoy!