Dulce de Leche Cake with Dulce De Leche Whipped Cream

•  (I also made a 3-layer cake, but this recipe is for a 2-layer cake.  To add the 3rd layer, increase ingredients by 1/2)

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces), plus more for dusting the pans
  1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
  4 teaspoons baking powder
  1 teaspoon table salt
  12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool
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Caramel Frosting

Dulce De Leche (storebought or homemade)

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• Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour. 
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• Pour milk, egg whites, and extract into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended. 
• Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining. 
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• Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer. 
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• Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. 
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• Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
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• Layer cakes with dulce de leche, frost with caramel buttercream and decorate as you wish! 

Dulce De Leche Whipped Cream

1 pint heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup dulce de leche

1 tsp cinnamon

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or using a hand mixure, mix heavy cream, cinnamon and confectioners sugar until cream holds stiff peaks.  Fold in dulce de leche until incorporated and there are no streaks remaining. Refrigerate until ready to use.