Caramel Cake and Cupcakes almost like Estrel's

There's a time that I've been addicted to Estrel's Caramel Cake.  The cake looks simple but pretty and the taste is just light that before I knew it, I almost ate the half portion of the cake.  Now that I somehow know how to bake and have some tools to fluff an eggwhite, I made it for the first time for my bro's birthday.  I thought it was a total failure but after an hour, the caramel-y and yolky "frosting" sinked into the chiffon cake and it's so yummy I made another batch of mini cakes and cupcakes after a week.  All thanks to Heart of Mary for the recipe, please visit her site for the complete recipe and decoration of the cake.

VANILLA CHIFFON CAKE (recipe suitable for an 8” round, 3” high pan)

Ingredients:
(a) part one of the chiffon
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons white sugar

(b) part two of the chiffon
¼ cup corn/canola oil
4 egg yolks, from extra large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
(c) part three of the chiffon

4 eggwhites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons white sugar

How to:
1.  Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
2.  In a large bowl, combine (a) well. Add in (b). Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.
3.  In a separate bowl, beat eggwhites and cream of tartar on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar  and beat until stiff peaks are formed.
4.  Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture
5.  Pour batter into an ungreased 8” round, 3” high pan or to two cupcake pans. 
6.  Bake for about 50 minutes 8" pan or 15 to 20 minutes for cupcakes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
7.  Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely before frosting.

I ran out of the caramel frosting, so I just put buttercream (which for me is just for decoration, it doesn't really have a special kick to it) on the other cupcakes instead.  And since I'm no expert in decorating cake, my minicakes have a messy but still decent look (like me).

CARAMEL ICING (enough to frost and fill 8” round cake)

Ingredients:
2 eggyolks
3/8 cup sugar, divided into 2 tbsp and 1/4 cup
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons full cream milk, divided into 1/4 cup and 1 1/4 cup
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

How to:
1.  In a small bowl, whisk the eggyolks with 2 tbsp sugar.
2.  Add 1/4 cup of milk and cornstarch.  Mix well and set aside.
3.  In a heavy saucepan; over low to medium heat, caramelized 1/4 cup sugar.
4.  When sugar is completely melted and already in a golden brown color, add boiling water.  Bring back to a boil making sure all the caramel is incorporated into the water by continously stirring.
5.  Carefully add the 1 1/4 cups of milk.  Heat mixture until it starts to boil.
6.  Without turning off the heat, pour a little of the caramel mixture into the eggyolk mixture to temper the eggs.  Mix until smooth.
7.  Pour the eggyolk mixture to the caramel mixture in the saucepan.
8.  Mix until icing reaches a thick but still pourable consistency.
9.  Off the fire, add the butter and extract.
10.  Let it cool just a little bit before pouring onto the cake.

Enjoy! And do check out Heart of Mary.

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