Gluten-Free Southern Charm Cake AKA Salted Caramel Butter Pecan Cake!

       Call me crazy, but after I created this buttery, caramel-ly, nutty deliciousness, I do declare I could not get the thought of the true south out of my head.  So why not name this recipe after the charming south?! 

       I hope you enjoy this creation as much as my family did.  I was seriously beginning to fear I would have to padlock the fridge shut just to keep them away from this cake!

You'll need:

1 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup coconut sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

4 tsp caramel Extract

1 tsp almond extract

4 eggs

3 cups gluten-free all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped

       Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Prepare two round 9” pans by greasing and flouring with gluten-free flour.

       In a medium bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy.  Add in the sugars and extracts then continue whipping until fully creamed.

       Gradually add the eggs in, one at a time.  Mix well between each addition.

 

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Then stir into the creamed mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk.  Lastly, fold in chopped pecans.

        Pour batter into prepared pans then Bake for   25 - 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from the center and the tops are a light golden brown.  Allow to cool fully before frosting.
 

Salted Caramel Frosting

 1 cup Kerrygold Butter, salted

1/2 cup palm shortening

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp Caramel Syrup

1 tsp Caramel Flavor

A pinch of salt

Whipping cream, as needed

       In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, whip Butter and shortening until creamed.  Then add in one cup of powdered sugar, the extracts, syrup, and salt.  Whip in the final two cups of sugar and a splash of cream, then continue mixing until you have a nice creamy frosting

       To assemble, spread a generous amount of cream onto the top of one of the cakes and then drizzle with caramel sauce.  Stack the next cake on top of the cream filling. Finish frosting the sides and top of the cake with remaining icing.  After all of the topping is used, drizzle the top with caramel Serve and Enjoy!