Dulce De Leche Cake Recipe

For the dulce de leche filling:
1 quart milk
1 cup sugar
a vanilla bean, split in half and seeds scraped
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp water

For the cake:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks salt free butter, room temp
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
5 egg whites, room temp

For the frosting:
1-1/2 sticks salt free butter
1 16oz powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream, more if needed
pinch of salt
sliced almonds for garnish

Make the Dulce de Leche filling.
l. In heavy large saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, vailla bean, and the seeds and bring to a gentle simmer over mediaum heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the milk begins to get foamy on top, stir to incorporate the foam.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the water, and add to the milk mixture.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a bare simmer. Let cook, stirring occasionally without working the foam into the milk. After 1 hr remove the vanilla bean.
4. Continue cooking , skimming occasionally, until tan, very thick, and reduced to about 1 cup, 1-1/2 hrs to 3 hrs, depending on the heat of your stove. The milk will continue to darken as it cooks. Strain into a clean container and let cool. Refrigerate covered until ready to use. It will thicken as it cools, and will keep in the frig for 2 wks.

Make the cake:
1. Position a rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two round cake pans each 9 inches in diameter and 1-1/2 inches deep.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, using electric mixer set on med high speed, beat the butter until light.
4. Gradually add the sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
5. Reduce the speed to low and dividing the flour mixture into three batches, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, just until combined.
6. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters and set on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten whites into the batter just until incorportated. Divide the batter between the pans, smooth with the spatula.
8. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out almost clean, about 25 to 30 min. Cool in pans 10 min. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cakes. Invert onto racks and let cool completely.

Make the frosting:
l. In a small skillet or pan melt the butter over medium-hi heat until nut brown in color, about 10 min. Remove pan from heat and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind; let cool.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add confectioners sugar, vanilla, salt and butter. With the mixer on low, slowly add cream; beat until smooth. If frosting seems too thick, stir another tablespoon cream into the mixture.

Assemble the cake:
1. Carefully slice each of the two cooled cakes in half to make four layers. Set on layer on the cake plate. Generously spread about 1/3 cup delce de leche on top. Top with another cake layer and spread with another 1/3 cup of the dulce de leche. Repeat with another cake layer and top with the final forth cake layer. Set delce de leche aside.
2. Frost the toop and sides of the cake with the frosting. If using the sliced almonds, press into the sides of the cake. Drizzle wwith remaining dulce de leche sauce. Refrigerate until serving.