Shelly's Recipe

TOFFEE LAYER CAKE WITH BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Category: Cakes from Cake Mixes

Cake:
1 pkg white cake mix with pudding
1 cup sour cream
1 cup warm water
3 large eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 tbsp butter
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, chilled
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Garnish:
1 cup toffee bits (Heath)
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, if desired
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350. Mist two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil and dust them with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pans aside.

Place the cake mix, sour cream, water, eggs, flour, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until come together, then stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, or until the batter is smooth and thickened. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side-by-side.

Bake the layers until they are lightly browned and just spring back when touched in the center, 25 to 28 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, give the pan a few good shakes to further loosen the cake, then invert the layers onto one wire rack, then invert them again onto another wire rack so that they rest right-side-up. Let them cool completely, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting and garnish. For the frosting, place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the butter browns, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot butter over the cream cheese, and add the vanilla. Blend until the butter and cream cheese are smooth and combined. Add the sugar, a little at a time, beating on low until the sugar is incorporated. Once it has all been added, increase the mixer speed to medium for 20 seconds and beat until fluffy.

For the garnish, combine the toffee bits with the chocolate chips and pecans, if desired.

To assemble the cake, place one layer on a serving plate, topping it generously with frosting, and smoothing it out with a metal spatula. Add a generous, even coating of the topping. Place the second layer on top of this, and frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the remaining toffee mixture on top of the cake, or add as much as you desire. Slice and serve. Store the remaining cake in a cake saver in the refrigerator.