Autumn Leaves Sticky Caramel Cake

Makes: 1 8 inch cake

Cake Ingredients

• 2 sachets Autumn leaves (equal to 6.5 g or 2 tablespoons)
• 1 cup flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• ½ teaspoon baking soda 
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 cup pumpkin puree 
• ½ cup butter, melted 
• ¾ cup granulated sugar 
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 
• ½ cup homemade caramel sauce 

For the homemade caramel sauce 

• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened 
• ½ cup heavy cream 

For the vanilla whipped cream 

• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 
• ½ pod of vanilla beans 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 square baking pan and set aside. 
2. In a food processor, blend the tea from 2 sachets Autumn leaves, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt on high until the tea is smaller than a grain of rice. Blend longer to your preference. 
3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin, melted butter and sugar together. Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
4. Pour into the prepared dish and bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes. 
5. While the cake is in the oven, make the caramel sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the granulated sugar. Continue to cook until the sugar melts, stirring occasionally with a spatula. Keep the heat low enough so that this process is fairly slow. As soon as the sugar is completely melted and the sauce is amber colored, carefully add the butter and mix until melted. Carefully add the cream and mix until melted. Set aside to cool. 
6. Just before the cake is done baking, in a medium bowl, mix the sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce together until smooth. 
7. When the cake is finished baking, poke several holes all throughout the cake. Immediately pour the caramel mixture all over the hot cake and spread evenly. 
8. Set aside to come to room temperature before turning out onto a clean plate. 
9. For the whipped cream, beat ingredients in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment until soft peaks occur. 
10. Serve cake at room temperature or cold from the fridge. 

Note

• Store bought caramel will work perfectly.