Oh! My! God!!

Here's the recipe and the directions seem lengthy, but they are intended for a novice cook such as me...lol.

Impossible Cake - Rick Bayless copied from rickbayless.com

Ingredients

For the mold:

A little softened butter and some flour

1 cup store-bought or homemade cajeta (goat milk caramel)

For the cake:

3 ½ ounces (7 tablespoons) butter, slightly softened

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon espresso powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water Or 2 tablespoons espresso (my note: I used 2 T coke)

½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup cake flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup cocoa powder (I like the more commonly availablenot Dutch processcocoa best here)

¾ cup buttermilk

For the flan:

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

4 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican vanilla

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Directions

1.Prepare the mold. Turn on the oven to 375 degrees and position the rack in the middle. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch round cake pan (you need one thats 3 inches deep), sprinkle with flour, tip the pan, tapping on the side of the counter several times, to evenly distribute the flour over the bottom and sides, then shake out the excess. Microwave the cajeta for 30 seconds to soften it, then pour over the bottom of the pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Set a kettle of water over medium-low heat. Set out a deep pan thats larger than your cake pan (a roasting pan works well) that can serve as a water bath during baking.
2.Make the cake batter. With an electric mixer (use the flat beater, if yours has a choice), beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light in color and texture. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the egg and espresso. Sift together the all-purpose and cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa. With the mixer on medium-low, beat in about ½ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat. Scrape the bowl, then raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.
3.Make the flan mixture. In a blender, combine the two milks, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend until smooth.
4.Layer and bake. Scrape the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and spread level. Slowly, pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. (I find it easiest to pour the mixture into a small ladle, letting it run over onto the batter.) Pull out the oven rack, set the cake into the large pan, then set both pans on the rack. Pour hot water around the cake to a depth of 1 inch. Carefully slide the pans into the oven, and bake about 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out dry. Remove from the water bath and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
5.Serving. Carefully run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake/flan to free the edges. Invert a rimmed serving platter over the cake pan, grasp the two tightly together, then flip the two over. Gently jiggle the pan back and forth several times to insure that the cake/flan has dropped, then remove the pan. Scrape any remaining cajeta from the mold onto the cake.

To-die-for chilled.

I second LindaC. That looks so good....

Annie

Aaaarrrgh! I just gained back the 9 lbs. I lost ;-) That really looks good.

OMG!!!! I love that it has no calories TEE HEE.....

That is a beautiful cake.

Linda

Brenda,
I'll be right over! YUM!

I was with Brenda when she bought the 3" deep round cake pan to make this recipe and I resisted buying one too even though this recipe sounded so good when she was describing it to me. I mean, who needs ANOTHER cake pan?? Well, now I wish I'd bought one.

I need to look through my plethora of pans to see if anything might work so I can make this recipe. I have the cajeta Brenda gave me when we got together for Sharon's visit and haven't done anything with it yet.

I'm having some friends over next Saturday night and this recipe might be just TOOOO good not to make it then!!

Thanks for posting Brenda!

Yummmmmmmmmmmmm........................

OMG! What can I sub for cajeta? We don't have any Hispanic markets near here... unless Wegman's might have it?

That looks ATDF!

You can make your own cajeta. I've never actually tried this but long long long ago, someone from Mexico told me that they did it this way.

Place a can of condensed milk in a large pot of water, and allow it to simmer just below the boiling point for at least one hour. Allow it to cool in the pot.

Open the can and pour the liquid into a bowl or wide-mouthed jar. Add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and stir well. Use as you would use the traditional cajeta.

Here is a link that might be useful: cajeta recipes

OMG.....you need to add this recipe to the egg thread!

Is Cajeta the same as Dulce de Leche? If so. I've used this recipe several times...it's decadent!

Dulce de Leche

2 to 4 cans sweetened condensed milk (300 ml each)
Preheat oven to 425

Remove labels and tops from cans.
Cover each can with foil , pressing firmly about 1/2 way down outside of can.

Place in a large flat bottom casserole dish.

Pour boiling water into dish until 1/2 inch from the tops of the cans. Cover with casserole lid.

Bake for 2 hours without disturbing except to check to see if you need to add water. Add more water if level drops dramatically.

After 2 hours lift cans from water bath. Cool on a rack with foil still in place. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze.

Cold DDL is very thick so bring to room temp before stirring.

Each can makes 1 1/4 cup DDL.

Oh that does look wonderful. Do you think a ten inch springform pan would work? I don't think it's three inches deep - maybe 2 1/2".

I have made Dulce de Leche by cooking an unopened can in water on the stove but more recently have been doing it in the microwave with great results.

Pour one can of condensed milk into a two quart glass measuring cup or large bowl. Microwave on medium high for two minutes, stir. Continue microwaving for two minutes (stirring at the end of each period) on medium for an additional 8-10 minutes. When it is the color and the thickness you want - stop! At the end you may want to microwave in one minute intervals. The timing depends on how long your condensed milk has been stored (the longer it has been in your cabinet, the thicker it will be when you open the can) and on your microwave. You do need to do this in a large measure or bowl because it will bubble up a lot.

Lee

thanks for the clarification on the Cajeta, I can make Dulce de Leche because Sol told me how. I thought it was just supposed to be eaten with a spoon, but now here's a recipe that uses it, LOL.

Annie

Brenda, you're ba-aaaad! But, that's a killer cake.

I think using homemade Dulce de Leche is a darn good substitute, but Cajeta (ca-heh-ta), which is made with either fresh goat or sheep's milk tastes a little different.

Here's a very good recipe for Cajeta. Credit goes to chef Grady Spears.

Cajeta

4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 ounces (½ stick or ¼ cup) unsalted butter
1-2 cups fresh goat's milk* sheep's milk, or heavy cream

In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Stir while the mixture reaches the simmering point. Stop stirring once it starts to simmer. Continue to boil steadily until mixture turns a caramel color, about 30 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Blend in enough goat's milk (or heavy cream) to thicken the mixture. Allow to cool slightly before serving, or cover it and refrigerate. Refrigerated, this will keep for weeks.

*Goat's milk is available in health food stores, but some grocery stores carry it.

Sol

AB, a spoon is still the way to enjoy dulce de leche, but, being that today's our wedding anniversary, Jim and I will be testing the stuff...spoon optional.

Sol

Lee, I am not sure anything less than a 3" would work as I used a 10 inch round that was 3 inches high and it came very close to the top when it finished baking.

I know y'all weren't asking ME about substitutes for the cajeta....lol. I purchased it at our local HEB grocery, but had heck finding it...it was next to the jelly/peanut butter, but it was a store brand, no other brand was available.

I hope you noted Rick Bayless recommended Mexican vanilla, so see it can't be all that bad!!!

Sol, happy anniversary! In honor of your anniversary I'll make some ice cream and try the cajeta on it before me and DD start South Beach. First, I have to rob a bank before we start South Beach, so I have time.

Brenda

Ok, I did some investigating. Interesting stuff. LOL. So yeah the cajeta is generally made with goat or sheep milk, but like Sol's recipe says heavy cream can be used. I think it's mostly a matter of the kind of animal they have. Apparently cajeta is the Mexican version of dulce de leche which really is Spanish. I think they might have started calling cajeta, dulce de leche here because.... cajeta means vulva in Argentina and when Hershey started selling the stuff here for the Mexican Americans..as cajeta.. there was some shock. LOL [wikipedia]. I have a strong suspicion that why we've heard alot more about dulce de leche than cajeta.

In any case that's one stunning cake Brenda. Yours turned out beautifully! Brava.

AHHHHHHH!!!!! I'm not a baker, but this looks like my kind of cake!!!

Oh!MY!

Outstanding. Do you have touse a rimmed serving plate to catch the drippings?

[? I thought I already posted this, but I don't see it; sorry if this is a duplicate post]

I have a favorite cake recipe that calls for a deep 10" pan, too, but I didn't want to buy (or store) one, so I tried my big, deep, square Corningware casserole. It works perfectly for that cake (a sticky, extra-rich pineapple upside-down cake), so it probably will work for this dream, too. I certainly intend to find out!

THUD!!! as EJ would say. I'm on a mission for the cajeta or I'll be using one of the subs/recipes here.

Great pic!! Thanks for sharing Brenda!!

David

Thanks for that idea gellchom!! You must've read my mind. I went to BB&B yesterday on the way home to check into a deep 10" pan but they didn't have one. But while I was there looking around I thought about using my le creuset dutch oven... then I thought, hey, what about my corning ware? I have a rather large and deep corning ware casserole. I'm going to go for it.

Thanks for all of the really nice comments.

Lovestocook, yes - you will definitely need a rimmed dish to turn the cake out onto.

Happy Anniversary, Sol, I'll eat a can of dulce de leche in your honor. Elery will be here tonight, maybe he'll help me with a batch of it. Spoons optional. LOL

Annie

Brenda!

It just clicked with me.......I am so damn thick!

Clive has been eating that wonderful Carmel sauce you gave us on top of ice cream......a bowl every night!

Something just clicked with me and I went to check the label....It's Cajeta !!!! Needless to say he will have no more of it and I am making this cake!

Thank you so much for the sauce as well as all those amazing chile powders and herbs.

Sharon

This recipe has been haunting me so today at the grocery store I bought not one, but TWO, bottles of Cajeta (hope I bought the right thing) and I am going to make this tomorrow for Sunday. Really looking forward to it. Thanks for sharing.

I made this cake last weekend!! I used my deep corning ware pot and it worked great. I was going to wait to post this when I could post a picture - which I hope to do this weekend - but since y'all posted I wanted to say: Eat it warm right out of the oven if you can. Well, I say right out of the oven, but it sits an hour in the warm water after it comes out of the oven, so right after that hour is over, eat it!

I had to serve mine cold because I made it for a party and I had to make it the day before. It was wonderful and got rave reviews - everyone loved it! But I do admit to sampling a bit of what was left in the pot after I flipped it and let me just say, warm, it was HEAVENLY!!!

Oh my G! You guys are killing me. My A1C is borderline so now I'm even afraid to eat. This sure looks good though.

:(

I think I undercooked it. I used the toothpick test which came out dry EXCEPT for about 1/4" on the bottom which I thought at the time was just the caramel and flan.

I let it rest for an hour and flipped it and the middle is like very wobbly jello.

It's in the fridge now but I really don't think it's going to firm up.

Any suggestions for saving it or should I just start over?

Here's my cake. Thanks again Brenda, for posting the picture and recipe. YUM!

Well, now that my monitor has slobber all over it, THANKS for the recipe, tips, and pix! LOL

OMG, I'm gonna have to try that one!
:O)
Sooz