Cinnamon Spiced Caramel Cake

Directions

1. For Stars: Spray inside of 4 star-shaped cookie cutters with nonstick spray. Oil baking sheet; place cutters on sheet.
2. Combine sugar and 2 Tbsp. water in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Stir till sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil till syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 4 min. Immediately pour thin layer of warm syrup inside each cookie cutter. Cold stars completely. Push stars out of cutters; wrap in foil. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store at room temperature.)
3. For Syrup: Stir sugar and 1/3 c. water in heavy small saucepan over low heat till sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring till syrup turns deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 7 min. Add in 1/2 c. warm water (mix will bubble up). Stir over low heat till hard bits dissolve. Cold caramel syrup.
4. For Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line pans with waxed paper; butter paper. Sift first 4 ingredients into small bowl. Stir lowfat milk and butter in small saucepan over low heat just till butter melts; set aside.
5. Using electric mixer, beat Large eggs and sugar in large bowl till thick sufficient for batter to fall in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 min. Beat in orange peel and vanilla. Add in flour mix; beat just till blended. Add in hot lowfat milk mix; beat just till blended. Divide batter between prepared pans.
6. Bake cakes till tester inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 24 min. Cold cakes in pans on racks 20 min. Cut around pan sides and turn cakes out onto racks; peel off paper. Turn cakes right-side up. Using toothpick, poke holes in tops of cakes. Brush half of caramel syrup over each cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes and let stand at room temperature.)
7. For Frosting: Combine all ingredients in large bowl; beat till hard peaks form.
8. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 1/2 c. frosting over. Top with second layer. Spread frosting over top and sides. Refrigerateat least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
9. Stand stars upright on cake. Serve cake cool or possibly let stand up to 1 hour at room temperature before serving.
10. This recipe yields 12 servings.
11. Comments: Many Mexican desserts are topped with cajeta, a thick caramel sauce. Two caramel elements make this cake especially delicious: a syrup which's drizzled over each layer and caramelized sugar stars on top. Use a variety of star-shaped cookie cutters to make the stars.