This caramel cake is rich, moist, and bursting with sweet caramel flavor in every layer! An irresistible showstopper for any occasion.
Vanilla Cake and the flavors of buttery Caramel Sauce come together in one delicious, decadent bite with this stunning old-fashioned Southern Cake Recipe.
Sabrina’s Caramel Cake Recipe
Caramel Cake starts with a simple, classic Vanilla Cake recipe, then comes the caramel magic! What makes this cake so special is the dreamy, creamy, rich caramel frosting that is like Classic Buttercream and caramel icing combined. It is made with brown sugar and evaporated milk for the caramel icing taste. Thickened with powdered sugar for a buttercream consistency perfect for decorating. It is finished with a drizzle of caramel sauce on top for the perfect sweet caramel flavor in every bite.
Recipe Card
IngredientsÂ
Vanilla Cake:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk , room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Caramel Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 3 1/2 cups brown sugar , packed
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
To Finish:
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce , pourable but thick
Instructions
Yellow Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour two 8 inch cake pans.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt then set aside.
- To your stand mixer add the butter and sugar and beat them together until light and fluffy on medium speed, 2-3 minutes
- Add in the eggs one at a time 15 seconds apart along with the vanilla then lower the speed to low.
- Add the flour mixture and milk, alternating a little of each at a time.
- Pour into the cake pans evenly and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once cakes are cooled frost them with your buttercream frosting.
Caramel Frosting:
- Add butter to your stand mixer and beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
- Add brown sugar and beat on high speed for 1 minute.
- Add in evaporated milk and vanilla extract; beat for 30 seconds.
- Reduce speed to the lowest speed setting and add in the powdered sugar until just combined.
- Raise speed to high and beat for 30 seconds.
To Finish:
- To your cake stand add a spoonful of caramel frosting.
- Level the cakes with a large serrated knife and discard the cake pieces.
- Brush off excess crumbs.
- Add the first layer of the cake to the cake stand.
- Top with 1 cup of caramel frosting, spread evenly.
- (Optional: Add caramel sauce in an even layer – See Note Below)
- Top with second layer of vanilla cake.
- Top with 1 cup of caramel frosting, spread evenly.
- Add 1 cup of caramel frosting, coating the outside of the cake.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow to harden.
- Frost the cake with half the remaining caramel frosting.
- Pipe swirly mounds onto the top of the cake and drizzle more caramel over the top if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Table of contents
About this Recipe
Caramel Cake is a beloved dessert that is beautiful enough for a special occasion but easy enough to make for more casual events, too! With its moist, buttery cake layers and creamy caramel frosting, this sweet and decadent dessert tastes as wonderful as it looks. At first glance, this cake recipe may seem daunting, but my step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, so even novice bakers can master this caramel lover’s dream cake.
Can this be Made Ahead of Time?
The cake layers can be made ahead of time and either refrigerated for a couple of days or you can freeze them for up to 6 months. However, they are freshest within the first 3 months. Cool the cake layers completely, then tightly wrap them with a couple of layers of plastic wrap and store them in the back of your freezer. The frosting can also be made ahead of time, storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You want the frosting to come to room temperature so it’s easier to use, but the cake can be frozen while you are frosting it.
How to Serve and Store
- Serve: This Caramel Layer Cake is best at room temperature, so the cake and frosting are soft. Cover the cake to keep at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Store: You could also keep the cake in the fridge for about a week. Bring it to room temperature to serve. To cover the cake with foil but prevent smashed frosting, place a few toothpicks into the top of the frosting mounds, then drape the foil over the cake, resting on the toothpicks. Seal the edges of the foil gently around the edge of the plate. Alternatively, you can store slices in an airtight container.
- Freeze: To store a frosted cake in the freezer, let it freeze uncovered until the frosting is hardened, then wrap it in plastic wrap. It’s best to freeze without the frosting mounds so the plastic lays flat against the cake. This cake will last for about 4 months in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is important to level your cake after it has cooled completely. Warm cakes are delicate and can break easily due to the steam released while cutting. To level the cake, use a long serrated knife of 9-10 inches. It provides better control than a fancy cake cutter and cuts through the cake effortlessly, resulting in fewer crumbs.
The origins of caramel cake are not entirely clear, but it is believed to have originated in the southern United States, particularly in the states of Louisiana and Tennessee. It is often associated with southern cuisine and is a popular cake recipe across the region.
Cakes need to cool completely before frosting, which typically takes about 1-2 hours, to prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off the cake due to the heat. Cold cake layers also prevent pieces of cake from breaking off as you spread the frosting.
Variations
- Chocolate: You can swap ½ cup of flour with unsweetened cocoa powder in the cake batter for a chocolate layer cake. You could also adust chocolate chips in cocoa powder or flour then fold into the cake batter right before it goes into the pan. Finally you can spread a layer of chocolate ganache to the filling and topping before you pipe the frosting swirls.
- Caramel Apple Cake: For a delicious fall Caramel Cake, add 1 tablespoon apple pie spice blend (cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice) to the cake batter. After you spread the caramel sauce for the filling, pipe a thick ring of frosting around the top of the cake. Spoon Apple Pie Filling into the center of the frosting, then chill to harden the ring of frosting to keep the filling from spilling out. Continue layering cake and frosting as usual, and spoon some apple filling on top or decorate with fresh apple slices.Â
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Photos used in previous versions of the post.
This Caramel Cake is a showstopper. It’s rich, moist, and has that deep caramel flavor in every single bite. The drizzle on top makes it look so fancy!