Dulce de Leche Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup dulce de leche
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• For the glaze:
• 1/4 cup dulce de leche
• 2 tablespoons whole milk

For the frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar, un-sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche
• .25 fluid ounces dark rum
• 3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of the salt until combined.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the white sugar and 3/4 cup of the butter and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

5. Add 1/3 cup of the dulce de leche and the vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. Adjust the mixer speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating each egg until just blended, about 45 seconds per egg.

7. Alternate adding the flour mixture and 3/4 cup of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and beating after each addition on low speed until just combined.

8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

9. Bake the cakes until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.

10. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes.

11. Invert the cakes from the pans onto a wire cooling rack. Place the wire rack onto a baking sheet.

12. Using a wooden skewer or fork, gently poke holes all over the flat sides of the cakes.

13. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the dulce de leche and the remaining milk until smooth.

14. Pour the glaze over the still-warm cakes and smooth the glaze with an offset spatula to coax the glaze into the poked holes.

15. Allow the cakes to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

16. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the remaining butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

17. Adjust the mixer to low speed and gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter, beating until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

18. Beat the remaining salt into the butter mixture.

19. Adjust the mixer speed to medium and beat the butter mixture until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

20. Adjust the mixer speed to low and beat the remaining dulce de leche and the rum into the butter mixture until just incorporated, about 45 seconds.

21. Place 1 cake layer onto a plate with the flat side of the cake facing up.

22. Spread 1 cup of the frosting evenly over the cake, all the way to the edge of the cake.

23. Sprinkle the frosting with 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts.

24. Place the second cake layer, rounded side up, onto the hazelnut layer.

25. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake.

26. Sprinkle the icing with the remaining hazelnuts.

27. Serve.