I love New Orleans- it’s one of those places that has a hum that makes your heartbeat rearrange itself to a new rhythm.  The food is fantastic, the music amazing and the history soaks itself into your soul. On a serious note here we are years after Hurricane Katrina and the restoration work goes on- if you get a chance please think about making a contribution to the Red Cross, The New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity or Make it Right New Orleans– Brad Pitt’s foundation rebuilding the lower 9th ward (still) with housing that is better designed to withstand future flooding.

New Orleans, you:

Big Easy, city of a thousand delights

Inspire me with more than my senses

Envelop me in silken days and satin nights

Food for the soul-your heart dispenses

Enthrall me with jazz rhythm and rhyme

A  joyful dance from head to feet

Drench me in ageless Blues sublime

Tattoo my heart with your Dixieland beat  

 

Teach me to savor what life may hold

When spice and heat combine

A fusion of flavors strong and bold

Mingled salt and sweet so divine

 

Queen of more than mindless pleasure

Let the good times roll you say

A lesson bestowed with sultry leisure

Live life to its breadth every day

Oh Crescent City, beautiful jewel

Rise from the swamp of the sea

Let pass the tempest that treated you cruel

Raise high your fleur de lys

I’ll be making Jambalaya in celebration of Mardi Gras but before we get to that we must have dessert first. It’s as celebration thing- and since I made it first and haven’t started the Jambalaya yet it’s what I can actually show you right now.  🙂

The topping and caramel icing are both delectable- lick the spoon clean worthy. I will give you the white cake recipe too although to be frank I must admit that next time I’ll be making this with a yellow cake for the actual cake part. The white cake is good but I want a less spongy-angel food type cake and a more delicate, buttery moist crumb for this in future. Still -very good- but I think it can be improved.

Praline Cake

White Cake- (or go ahead use a yellow one it won’t hurt my feelings at all )

• 8 egg whites, room temperature and beaten until stiff and glossy
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup iced water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare two 8- inch round cake pans with butter and flour and line the bottom with parchment. Preheat the oven to 375F. Sift the cake flour and baking powder together in a small bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and the iced water alternately mixing until smooth after each addition. ( start with 1/3 of the flour, then 1/2 of the water, repeat and end with 1/3 of the flour) Fold in the beaten egg whites and divide between the pans. Smooth the top and bake for about 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool in pans for 5 minutes then remove from pans to a rack and completely cool before frosting.

Caramel Frosting

• 5 Tablespoons butter
• 10 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 Tablespoons evaporated milk or heavy cream
• about 1 pound of powdered (confectioner’s) sugar

In a small saucepan melt the butter, add the sugar and cream and cook until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat and pour into the bowl of a mixer. Cool. When cool, mix in enough powdered sugar with the beaters to make a spreadable frosting.  Spread between the layers and on all sides of the cooled cake.

Praline Topping

• 1 pound brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons AP flour
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-1/2 cup chopped pecans

Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet or sauce pan. Mix the sugar, flour and eggs together and add to the butter. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly so the sugar dissolves. Cook for 6-8 minutes until a bit thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pecans. Let cool until it is thickened a bit but still glossy. Pour over frosted cake.

Well go on now- let the good times roll- and I’ll post my Jambalaya as soon as it’s ready- got my Andouille- got my mudbugs- I’m happy-let’s roll!

Or you can check out my last year’s Mardi Gras post of Red Beans and Rice  if you’re in the mood for that.

xo