Episode 150: Butterscotch Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream

It’s a milestone show as Stefin and Andrea launch Episode 150! With 162 shows in their back catalog and over 125,000 downloads, is it too much to ask for a listener in Antarctica? Do us a favor and take a listen when you visit that frozen continent!

Recipe Review: Butterscotch Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream from Bake from Scratch

One Layer Wonders month kicks off with a fabulous one layer cake with all of Andrea’s favorite words, the Butterscotch Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream from Bake from Scratch. Don’t let this one layer cake fool you, while it may sound simple, it actually contains three components: the cake, a Swiss Meringue Salted Caramel Buttercream and a homemade Salted Caramel Sauce. Andrea recommends making the Salted Caramel Sauce first, followed by the buttercream, and finally finishing with the cake. Feel free to take a break in between if needed!

The cake is a beautiful, toffee-colored 13×9 sheet cake, so save this cake for a celebration – it serves a lot of people. Stefin had to pay a pretty penny for butterscotch morsels, which aren’t readily available in the UK. Both Stefin and Andrea needed to bake their cake a full 42 minutes, rather than the 35 minutes listed in the recipe.

The Swiss Meringue Buttercream was a first for both hosts, and it turned out well for Andrea, although both thought that three sticks of butter in the frosting resulted in an overly rich frosting. Stefin never got her butter to fully incorporate in the frosting, and found the flecks of butter a bit off-putting.

Andrea thought the star of the show was the Salted Caramel Sauce. Stefin used a prepared caramel sauce and didn’t feel the cake suffered at all as a result.

This beautiful cake was a lot of work, and resulted in a stunning cake with delicious flavor. Next time, the hosts may try making the cake without the buttercream frosting.

Bake Along: Nigella’s Chocolate Guinness Cake

Andrea had to twist Stefin’s arm to try this cake, won’t you join her? It’s a one layer cake which doesn’t even require a mixer! Bake along with us and find out what you think about this chocolate cake and it’s ‘damp blackness.’

Pass the Salt, Please

Salt serves several purposes in baked goods. Salt enhances flavor, and it brings out the best in your other ingredients. Remember salt is one of the five basic tastes your tastebuds notice, along with sweet, sour, bitter and umami.

Andrea loves salt in all things, especially baked goods, while Stefin has found that her salt intake has decreased while she’s been living in the UK.

Andrea’s favorite quote comes from Samrin Nosrat, the cookbook author of Salt, Fat, Acid Heat.

“Salt. It’s fundamental to all good cooking. It enhances flavor and even makes food taste more like itself. In short, salt brings food to life. Learn to use it well and your food will taste great.”

Samrin Nosrat, cookbook author of Salt, Fat, Acid Heat

Listeners, what’s your favorite salty dessert?

Previously on Preheated …

Two Years Ago: Episode 51: Cupcakes, Cheesecakes, and Listener Favorites

One Year Ago: Episode 99: Circular Celebration

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