Caramel Cake
Updated
Updated
I make this Caramel Cake with a light, fluffy from-scratch batter and my own homemade frosting, and I can’t get enough of its deep, rich caramel flavor in every bite. It’s my go-to cake for fall and the perfect sweet centerpiece for all my holiday celebrations.
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Easy Caramel Layer Cake Recipe
If you’re a caramel fan, I think you’re going to LOVE this Caramel Cake as much as I do. While the light and fluffy cake itself has a subtle caramel flavor, the icing is what really sets it apart. I’ve prepared the frosting with a homemade caramel sauce featuring both light brown and dark brown sugar to create a rich, deep caramel flavor.
Of course, as you might expect, this is a very sweet cake as I’ve used three different types of sugar in the icing alone. I find this sweet and caramel cake is perfect for special occasions—even Thanksgiving—and I love to eat it with a tall glass of milk!
Caramel Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature
For the Frosting
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅓ cup evaporated milk
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two 9" cake pans with nonstick spray. Place parchment paper in the bottom of the pans. Spray the top of the paper with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter with the oil until combined. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat them together on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time until fully mixed in. Stir in the vanilla.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and stir it in until combined.
- Next, add half of the buttermilk, stir until combined. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Take a spatula and smooth out the top, this will ensure the cakes bake evenly.
- Bake for 22-28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
- When the cakes are cool and you are ready to assemble, cut any doming or uneven parts off the cake if there are any, and then make the frosting.
- For the frosting, place the light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, butter, and salt into a medium-sized pot.
- Place the pot over medium heat and whisk constantly until the butter and the sugars are melted. Pour in the evaporated milk and then the heavy cream, whisk to combine.
- Bring to a gentle bubble and simmer for 4 minutes, it will start to thicken. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl.
- Using an electric hand mixer, add the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully mixed in, and then mix in the vanilla.
- When the frosting is done, you need to work fast to frost the cake while it is still spreadable.
- Place one of the cakes, top side up, onto your serving platter. Add ¾ cup of the frosting and, using an offset spatula or something similar, spread it out over the top of the cake.
- Place the other cake, top side down, on top. Frost the sides and top of the cake as fast as you can before the frosting hardens.
- Let the cake sit until the frosting completely hardens, about 2 hours. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Caramel Cake Step by Step
Get the oven going and prepare the pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray two 9″ cake pans with nonstick spray. Place parchment paper in the bottom of the pans and spray the tops of the paper with nonstick spray as well.
Make the cake batter: Combine 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp fine sea salt in a bowl.
In the stand mixer, combine ½ cup unsalted butter and ½ cup vegetable oil. Then, beat in 1 cup granulated sugar and ¾ cup light brown sugar.
Add 4 eggs one at a time, along with 1 tbsp vanilla.
Add half of the dry ingredients, then half of the 1¼ cups of buttermilk. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining buttermilk.
Transfer half of the batter into each of the greased cake pans lined with parchment paper. The batter must be split evenly. If you don’t trust yourself to eyeball it, you can always use a scale to weigh the batter. Use a spatula to smooth out the top so the cakes bake evenly.
Bake the cakes at 350°F for 22 to 28 minutes in the pan. Cool completely. When they are cool and you are ready to assemble, cut any doming or uneven parts off the cake if there are any.
Make the frosting: Whisk 1 cup light and 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1 cup butter, and ½ tsp salt over medium heat until melted. Pour in ⅓ cup evaporated milk and ⅓ cup heavy cream, whisking to combine. Simmer for 4 minutes, then transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stir in 2 cups powdered sugar a little at a time, then add 1 tsp vanilla.
Assemble the layer cake: Place one cake on a serving platter and work fast while the frosting is still spreadable. Top the cake with ¾ of the frosting, spread evenly. Add the second cake and frost the sides and the top.
Let sit: Let the cake set for at least 2 hours, so the frosting hardens completely.
Serve: Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Can I Use Box Cake Mix For This Recipe?
How to Store
Leftover caramel cake can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days or for a week in the fridge. In either case, keep the cake tightly covered. If you refrigerate the slices, I recommend letting them sit on the counter to come to room temperature before enjoying.
Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and again in foil. Thaw on the counter.
What to Serve With Caramel Cake
This cake is best served at room temperature since the caramel hardens even more in the fridge. Before serving, especially if I’m making this for a special occasion, I like to add a few toppings to the cake or at least to individual slices like caramel sauce drizzle, chocolate sauce, flaked sea salt, or chopped pecans.
Can this be made in a 9X13 pan?