Caramel Cake with Vanilla Salt

Happy Valentine's Day!  I'm choosing to celebrate by baking a gooey delicious indulgent cake. :D I have been collecting salted caramel recipes for long enough without ever making anything so today is the day.  I had a terrible time making the caramel topping - I wanted to sub the golden syrup with honey, but I haven't perfected that yet. Five tries later and one saucepan ruined I have come a long way. Apparently watching my grandmother and mom make caramel as a little girl and doing it myself is completely different. By now all the kinks are out and what's left is a lovely recipe. 

Recipe adapted from Gourmet and Everybody Likes Sandwiches
Vanilla Salt
4 T rock salt (59 ml or 4 T measuring each at 15 ml)

1 vanilla bean (can leave out)

1 t vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/160CFan.  2. Cut the vanilla bean down the center and scrape out the beans. 3. In a bowl mix together the salt, vanilla extract, bean, and seeds.  4.Put on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for five minutes. 5. Cool then break up crystals with a mortar and pestle until they reach the desired consistency. 6. Sprinkle a 1/4-1/2 tsp of salt over cake. Store and keep left over salt for future cakes. 

Cake

2 c + 2 T sifted cake flour (127g + 30 ml)

1 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar (225 g)
1 t pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
1 c buttermilk (236 ml)

 1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/160CFan with the rack in the centre of the oven. 2. Prepare a 9" round baking pan with a circle of parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper and the sides of the pan. 3. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, set aside in a bowl. 4. Next cream the sugar together with the butter. 5. Add the vanilla to the creamed mixture. 6. Then add one egg at a time, making sure each is well incorporated. 7. At a low speed mix the buttermilk. 8. Follow with the flour in 1/3 incraments, mixing well between each addition. 9. Pour batter into the cake pan and rap a few times on the counter to release any air bubbles. 10. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. 11.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for ten minutes before taking out of the pan and inverting to cool completely before frosting.
*This can be made a day in advance if wrapped tightly. **You can make buttermilk by adding 1 T (15 ml) of distilled white vinegar to 1 cup (236 ml) of regular milk, not stirring and leaving to set for 5 minutes. 

Caramel Glaze

 1 c heavy cream or double cream (236 ml)
1/2 c packed light brown sugar (100 g)
1 T golden syrup (15 ml)
a pinch of kosher salt (or your vanilla salt)
1 t pure vanilla extract

1. In a medium saucepan on medium heat (make sure the burner and flame match the size of the pan) add the cream, brown sugar, golden syrup, and pinch of salt. 2. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved, then stop stirring.  3. Allow to boil until a thermometer reads 212F/100C and the caramel has reached the soft ball stage. 4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. 5. Set cake on a wire rack with a plate underneath then pour sauce over cake starting in the middle. 6. Allow to cool slightly before sprinkling with the vanilla salt. If you would like the salt to show, then cool completely.