A Badass Caramel Cake

A few years ago I went to a funeral in a small town just up the road from Charleston. Folks were coming from near and far, bringing desserts, gallons of sweet tea and more fried chicken than one family could possibly eat. One sweet little lady brought a layered caramel cake. After tasting her cake, I decided that I would like to be a lady who can whip up a badass caramel cake. Last night I finally got up the courage to bake the dang thing.

I used the recipe for Gigi's Fabulous Caramel Cake from the cookbook Southern Cakes. The icing sets up very quickly and it becomes hard to evenly spread. While it tastes delicious, I just might be a little old lady before I can make this cake look as pretty as it did in the cookbook. You'll want to bring a glass of milk to the table, even a sweet tooth like mine is on overload with this cake.

Gigi’s Fabulous Caramel Cake

Cake:

3/4 cup butter
1 cup milk
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

2 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

7 tablespoons evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Combine butter and milk in a small sauce pan and cook until the butter melts. Let cool. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. In a large bowl, combine eggs and sugar, beat well at high speed until smooth and thick. Stir the dry mixture, egg mixture, milk mixture and vanilla together until smooth. Pour batter in to prepared bake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool.

In a sauce pan, combine the brown sugar, butter, evaporated milk and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat so that the frosting oils and bubbles gently. Cook for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Beat the warm icing with a wooden spoon 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Place a cake layer, top side down, on a cake stand or plate. Quickly spread some icing over the top and cover it with the second layer, top side up. Ice the top quickly and then spread the remaining icing over the sides. If the icing become too hard to spread, warm gently over low heat add a spoonful of evaporated milk and then scrape and stir well until the icing softens enough to spread again. Dip a table knife in very hot water to help soften and smooth icing out once it is spread.

The Heirloom Kitchen

A friend in Bluffton, SC has a kitchen that is an heirloom in every sense of the word. His collection of silver has been passed down for generations and his library with over 250 cookbooks is as important as his pots and pans. When I decided to get him a cookbook, Heirloom Book Company is the only place I was confident I could find a cookbook that he doesn't already own.

Heirloom Book Company - 123 King Sreet, Charleston

I found this little gem, Stirrin' the Pots on Daufuskie by Billy Berns. This book, published in 1985, includes hand written recipes, black and white photos and tips for life on the island. Recipes for Deviled Crab, Tomato Pie and Pickled Shrimp dance throughout the cookbook. Mrs. Berns showcases a few truly Gullah recipes such as Squirrel Stew and Oxtail Soup which make flipping through this cookbook a lowcountry history lesson. This is a book that will be hard to give away!

Just a tip: "Whip okra with a switch - makes it bear better"

Jack Leigh

Jack Leigh is one of my all time favorite photographers. His body of work captures the coastal waters of South Carolina and Georgia better than any photographer I have seen. Pat Conroy's words are a perfect match for his photographs. 

Leigh has so many great books, it's hard to choose a favorite. If I had to narrow it down I would pick Oystering: A Way of Life, Nets and Doors: Shrimping in Southern Waters, and his retrospective, The Land I'm Bound To.

I am lucky enough to own this piece and look at it everyday! 

Several years ago M bought a couple prints for me and I could not be more grateful.

This photo reminds me of the my hometown and the oystermen who help maintain our waters. 

His books are full of glorious images but his most notable piece is on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. If you haven't been to Bonaventure Cemetery you should definitely make the trip. The cemetery is in Savannah on the Wilmington River and is incredibly peaceful. The great songwriter Johnny Mercer was laid to rest here.

Jack Leigh passed away in 2004 after a battle with colon cancer. He left the world a better place as he documented the South in a way that will preserve our salt marshes and barrier islands long after they're gone. 

The Help

Last night I went with the a couple girlfriends to see The Help. What a great movie! I have been excited about seeing this movie for a while. I love Minny and Celia! Both characters are full of sass and courage. I love how they unite to help one another. Almost every character in the movie (sorry Hilly) won me over. I found myself sympathizing for all of them and wishing I could change their situation. I am so glad I came up in a less controversial time.  

With that said, don't forget your Kleenex but get ready to laugh hard too. I bounced from happy to heart-broken the whole time. Can we talk about the fashion? The dresses are adorable. I love Minnie's hats! This movie is the Steel Magnolia's of our time. Have you seen The Help? What are you thoughts on the movie? If not, go see it this weekend!

Transfer of Grace

Transfer of Grace  is one of my favorite books of images from the Lowcountry. More moving than the photos are the words that accompany them.  The book speaks of this area and how it has been passed onto us. The land is shared with people, animals and weather. This area is ever changing... we should sit back and enjoy the area whenever possible.

My favorite quote from the book is: "The Lowcountry used to be a slow country. Its uniqueness depended on a certian pace, a lilt to life. Dogs could nap on dirt roads; grits weren't instant; conversations weren't measured in cell phone minutes. Killing time was never wasting time."

Mayhaw Jelly and Biscuits

A mayhaw is a fruit that grows in the swamps and bogs of South Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas. The fruit ripens in April and May, hence the name mayhaw. It's a mix between an apple and a berry, if you can imagine that.

My granddad was raised in Donalsonville, GA just a couple counties over from the annual Mayhaw Festival. A good friend travels to Donalsonville each year for a family reunion and I always beg her to  bring back a jar.  They claim to have the best jelly on earth, and I am here to tell you it is amazing.

                                      

You can eat it on everything from toast to hoecakes, but the best way is on a biscuit. Sadly, I do not have the biscuit making skills of my grandparents... I guess when I am there age I will have it down pat. Nathalie Dupree just came out with a new cookbook called Southern Biscuits which will hopefully give me a good start. Do you have a good biscuit recipe? What's your favorite kind of jam or jelly?

Summer Reading

If you like to read the book before you see the movie you have about a month before this one comes out. This is a fabulous story of courage and ambition and will be put in the class of great southern novels with the likes of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The Prince of Tides. This book is perfect for lazy days at the beach or pool this summer. 


Can't stop thinking about the nook color. What are your thoughts on reading electronically?