Last night, I was snug in bed, lost in Kathryn Stockett’s fabulous book, The Help, until I came across a confection on page 38 called caramel cake: “I was fourteen years old to the day. I sat at the little wooden table in my mama’s kitchen eyeing that caramel cake on the cooling rack, waiting to be iced. Birthdays were the only day of the year I was allowed to eat as much as I wanted.”

Just the sound of this cake roused me from my calm and got my mind and taste buds racing. I got out of bed, and thumbed through my recipe file. Lo and behold, years ago, I had clipped  a recipe for this scrumptious sounding cake from Gourmet Magazine. The recipe’s headnotes read: “While this little square cake may appear modest, its caramel flavor drew everyone in our test kitchens back for seconds and even thirds. Buttermilk lends a subtle tang and tenderizes the yellow cake, but it’s the sweet glaze that really makes this dessert special.”

It’s truly simple and delicious…and if you’re snowed in somewhere it might just warm your heart, and those around you, too. No special ingredients: you probably have them all in your pantry. Here’s the recipe, which I will make into cupcakes next week for a friend’s birthday.

Caramel Cake
Serves 9
For Cake
2 cups plus 2 tabelspoons sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
For Caramel Glaze
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Equipment: A Candy thermometer

1. Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in the middle. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan and line with a square of parchment paper, then butter parchment.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture may look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.
4. Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several time to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan. Invert onto a rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. Make Glaze: Bring cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a 1-1/2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Boil until glaze registers 210 to 212 degrees F on thermometer, 12 to 14 minutes, then stir in vanilla.
6. Put a rack with cake in a shallow baking pan and pour hot glaze over top of cake, allowing it to run down sides. Cool until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.

Cook’s Note: Cake (before glazing) can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

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