CAKE! CAKE!

I have been jonesing for cake of late. Mrs. BA was kind enough to make a great cake for Easter, which had slivered almonds and raspberry filling and some really good icing. It hit the spot. This past weekend we had a visit from friends who brought more cake, and it was good. In fact, I think I will have another piece before heading up for bed.

You can console yourself with this recipe for "St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake" courtesy of the Amateur Gourmet.

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
via Smitten Kitchen via Melissa Clark

For the cake:

• 3 tablespoons milk at room temperature
• 1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  

For the topping:

• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling.

Make the cake dough: In a small bowl, mix milk with 2 tablespoons warm water. Add yeast and whisk gently until it dissolves. Mixture should foam slightly.

Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and salt. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Alternately add flour and the milk mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. Deb suggests switching to a dough hook at this point (which I did) to beat dough on medium speed until it forms a smooth mass and pulls away from sides of bowl, 7 to 10 minutes.

Press, stretch and nudge dough into an ungreased (Deb says to grease it, so I did with cooking spray) 9-by 13-inch baking dish (Deb suggests a glass baking dish) at least 2 inches deep.

Cover dish with plastic wrap or clean tea towel, put in a warm place, and allow to rise until doubled, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Make the gooey topping:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare topping, in a small bowl, whisk corn syrup with 2 tablespoons water and the vanilla. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Alternately add flour and corn syrup mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition.

Spoon topping in large dollops over risen cake and use an offset spatula to gently spread it in an even layer.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes (start checking at 30 minutes); cake will rise and fall in waves and have a golden brown top, but will still be liquid in center when done. (I took it out when the sides didn't jiggle but the middle did.)

Allow to cool in pan before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar for serving.