Dulce de Leche Cake with Dulce De Leche Whipped Cream. Revised for Cinco De Mayo.

 

Actually, this cake wasn't revised FOR Cinco De Mayo, per se, but I just happened to make this cake on Cinco De Mayo, so I'm just going to run with it.  I really should call this a Cajeta Cake, as that is what dulce de leche is called in Mexico. 

Cajeta! 

Remember last time I made this cake, I felt that the frosting was way too sweet for the cake?  Frankly, I should have known, as it was a Paula Deen recipe, and her recipes are either meant to clog your arteries or give you a spike in natural insulin.

This time around, I looked at the frosting for the Dulce de Leche cake in Sky High Cakes.  I wanted something lighter to compliment the rich dulce de leche filling, and this frosting is a dulce de leche whipped cream frosting. 

How good does that sound?

I didn't feel like making the dulce de leche from scratch, so I just bought some homemade dulce de leche, made some homemade whipped cream, and folded in the dulce de leche and tossed in some cinnamon for good measure.

And I basically couldn't stop eating little spoonfuls of this whipped cream. At 6:30 in the morning.  Needless to say, sitting here at 8:10 am right about to go to work, I feel like crap because I just ate 1/4 a cup of dulce de leche whipped cream for breakfast.  And a tiny bit of this cake.

So let's talk about the cake, shall we?  

We all know I loved the Cooks Illustrated White Cake recipe. I love the Cooks Illustrated White Cake recipe with dulce de leche oozing from the layers.  And now, I love the Cooks Illustrated White Cake recipe with dulce de leche oozing from the layers topped with dulce de leche whipped cream frosting.  Oh yes. This cake is pure perfection. 

However, I did refrigerate the cake, to firm up the dulce de leche filling (which, when I say oozing, I mean, it OOZED. Right out of the cake layers.  I guess I should have realized that dulce de leche "sauce" is not the same as dulce de leche.). So now the cake tastes like a cake that has been refrigerated.  I'm really hoping that it regains its normal texture by the time I put this cake out to be consumed at work around noon. 

Also, I tried to put a pretty design in the side of the whipped cream, but I failed miserably, as you can tell by the photo below.  This cake may not be as pretty as the original, but I'd take this one any day. 

Old Cake:  So pretty.

   

New cake.  Well.  I was in a rush. 


 

Oh, and I topped it off with some Lindt Chili Chocolate shards. You know. For Cinco De Mayo. And of course, when Jack saw the cake, he said:

Oh, the Stegosaurus cake.

Thanks, Jack.  

Dulce de Leche Cake with Dulce De Leche Whipped Cream

• Cake recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated (I also made a 3-layer cake, but this recipe is for a 2-layer cake.  To add the 3rd layer, increase ingredients by 1/2)
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces), plus more for dusting the pans 
  1 cup whole milk, at room temperature 
  6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature 
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces) 
  4 teaspoons baking powder 
  1 teaspoon table salt 
  12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool
• Caramel Frosting

Dulce De Leche (storebought or homemade)

• 
  
• Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour. 
• 
  
• Pour milk, egg whites, and extract into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended. 
• Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining. 
• 
  
• Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer. 
• 
  
• Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. 
• 
  
• Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 
  
• Layer cakes with dulce de leche, frost with caramel buttercream and decorate as you wish! 

Dulce De Leche Whipped Cream

1 pint heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup dulce de leche

1 tsp cinnamon

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or using a hand mixure, mix heavy cream, cinnamon and confectioners sugar until cream holds stiff peaks.  Fold in dulce de leche until incorporated and there are no streaks remaining. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Comments

[Dana]

Hi Teanna - I made Flo Braker's Tres Leche cake a week ago with homemade dulce de leche and dulce de leche whipped cream with cinnamon. I love it! All of your recipes look so good, I want to try them all. Your site is gorgeous, thanks for all the inspiration.

[jenn (Bread + Butter)]

Gotta love Paula Deen right. hahaha... Sometimes I have to try and revise her recipes a bit justs to make sure my arteries can handle it. I'm liking this revised cake. Definitely a fitting treat for Cinco de Mayo. The new version of the cake still looks great even if you were in a rush. :)

[DailyChef]

I swear, you're trying to kill me! But what a way to go...I am dying happy :-P

[Margaret]

I love this cake. Tres leche cakes are so decadent. And this one is over the top. Beautiful!!!

[steph (whisk/spoon)]

OMG--that looks so good! want to come over right now and bring that for dessert? i have homemade tamales, guac and lots of beer!

[Dorothy]

Too funny! My first thought when I saw the picture of the old cake was, "oh yeah, the stegosaurus cake" LOL Not making fun or anything, it's just memorable that he made that comparison! The cake looks delicious, even if you don't think it's as pretty as the original. I'm pretty sure no one will mind ;)

[grace]

that's the whitest, fluffiest, most tender cake i've ever seen, and the dulce de leche oozing out between the layers is just phenomenal. this makes me wish every day was cinco de mayo. :)

[shelly (cookies and cups)]

Stegosaurus cake! lol!
Looks amazing both old and new :)

[Ashley]

Both cakes look amazing! I might have to make this for my mom's upcoming birthday. She loves dulce de leche.

[Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes)]

Oh my! This cake looks and sounds abdolutely fabulous!! Bookmarked!

[Houston Domestic Partnership Attorney]

Looks wonderful and delicious. Definitely a classic dessert. Thanks for sharing your baking recipe.

[Healthy Foods Blog]

Is there any word sounds delightful than amazing? Because this is how I describe this deliciously-looking cake.

- Tera

[Maria]

What a beauty!

[Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction]

Oh, that cake looks incredible!

[Stephanie Louie]

Both cakes are pretty! I know what you mean about the refrigerated cakes. It bothers me too. I never understand the people who think that it doesn't make a difference because it does!

[Katrina]

THAT. does look de-lish!

[Dina]

Wow! sinful!!

[Jenny]

This cake looks like "Brazo de Mercedez" =)

You're a beautiful girl must deserved a product like this ^^

[Lynsey James March]

What a beautiful and delicious cake! Yes, you do have to watch when you try those Paula Deen recipes for the sweetness factor!

[Nike Shox R4]

delicious cake,desire to have an eat,love here