The secret to a good caramel cake is all in the frosting. The frosting for this one is amazing!
I have been on a quest for the perfect caramel cake for years. I posted my first version here. You see, when my husband was a child his favorite cake was a white cake with caramel frosting. I’m pretty sure his mom just used a white cake mix and topped it with homemade caramel frosting. I have the recipe somewhere and I’ve made it a few times.
A caramel cake is really all about the frosting. It has the base of a nice, light, fluffy yellow or white cake but the frosting is the star of the show but it definitely needs a good cake to let it shine.
I’ve experimented with lots of from scratch cakes and I’ve finally found one that is everything a cake should be. Light, fluffy, tender, moist and flavorful. It is the perfect base for a great caramel cake.
I used Bob Red Mill Super Fine Cake Flour to give the cake amazing texture. Cake flour has less protein than regular all purpose flour and that helps give the cake a lighter and more airy texture. It does make a difference and it’s worth the effort to buy and use cake flour.
Now for the frosting.
I basically eat cake so I can have frosting. It is my favorite part of the cake and this caramel cake had lots of frosting goodness. I used 3- 8 inch cake pans for this cake. After baking and cooling, be sure and brush off as much of the crumbs on the outside of the cake as possible, it makes frosting easier.
I love using this cake turn table to frost my cakes. It makes it so easy to turn the cake as you frost it. And the non slip mat keeps the cake in place. I also use a cardboard round underneath the cake to it is easy to remove from the turntable and place on my serving plate. I also love using an offset spatula to frost my cakes.
I am definitely not a professional cake decorator so it may not look perfect but it tastes pretty perfect!
I took this cake to our neighborhood 4th of July potluck and it got lots of oohs and aahs and it received multiple thumbs up!
The frosting is made with butter, butter and more butter just the way frosting should be. It also uses dark brown sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla and powdered sugar. Unlike many caramel forstings this one doesn’t need to be cooked for long periods of time. It’s cooked in the microwave for a few minutes and then into the mixer.
It makes a generous amount of frosting so don’t be stingy with those layers.
Celebrate summer with a delicious caramel cake.
Recipe may need to be adapted for high altitude baking. See info here.
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3¼ cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1¼ cups milk I used whole milk
- 1 cup butter divided
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Spray three 8-inch pans generously with baking spray and flour. Cut circles of parchment paper or wax paper to fit pans and place one in the bottom of each pan.
- Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt together; set aside.
- (If you are using the extra fine cake flour you won't need to sift the flour, if not put the flour, baking powder and salt through a sifter.)
- Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and then eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Add flour mixture and milk alternately in 3 batches, beating until smooth after each addition.
- Divide batter between prepared pans.
- Bake until golden, 25-30 minutes.
- Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes; invert cakes onto a cooling rack; let cool completely.
- Brush off crumbs from sides and top of cake.
- Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand.
- Add icing and spread to cover. Repeat with remaining layers.
- Frost entire cake with a generous layer of icing.
- Place 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar and evaporated milk into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir. Return to microwave and cook on high for 2-3 more minutes or until the mixture is smooth and no longer gritty. Can also be done in a saucepan on the stovetop. Heat until ingredients are combined and no longer gritty.
- Cool mixture for 15 minutes.
- Place in mixer and add in powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated.
- Turn to medium high and mix for another minute.
- Add in 1/2 cup of softened butter and vanilla and mix on medium high for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Frosting should be a nice spreadable consistency. Add more milk if too stiff or more sugar if too thin.
- Frost cake.
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I can’t wait to try this! Most of my friends shun frosting and make me feel weird for liking it. Such a beautiful cake; thank you so much!
I’m with you girl – frosting over cake any day!! You are going to love this frosting.
Caramel is one of my favorite cakes and yours looks delicious. Looking forward to trying this recipe using Bob Red Mill’s cake flour. I’ve used their other products but I’ve never tried the cake flour. Thanks for sharing!
I love all of Bob Red Mill’s products and this cake flour is great!
I love caramel cake as long as both the cake and the frosting are made from scratch in the home. The boxes and cans of chemicals you buy from your grocery do not even have real ingredients but are chemistry experiments with unproven chemical additives. Never eat chemicals produced in labs. Our life expectancy is no longer rising – but is falling fast because of big corporate artificial chemical foods.
Wow, this looks amazing! I too grew up on a homemade Caramel Cake my mom would make. I haven’t had in many years. This looks very close to hers. I can’t wait to try it! Thank You for sharing, my mouth is watering!
Could you make this in a 9×13 pan instead? I want to make it for an upcoming camping trip! I sounds awesome!
I would probably use a 9 x 13 and an 8 x 8 . It would be too much batter for just one 9 x 13
I made this yesterday and the Caramel frosting was much easier for the same result as the stove top method, so that was a win. The cake, however, was an epic fail! This post read like an advertisement for cake flour, which I am sure it was, even though it was not stated as a sponsored post. There was a link to purchase the cake flour along with just about everything else. The funny thing is, I am quite sure that the cake flour is precisely the problem with the cake. It cratered and had no structure what soever. I was making cup cakes instead of layer cake and they were terrible. I also made one layer with the leftover batter and it was no better than the cupcakes, so size of cooking vessel was not the problem. I had to dump the whole thing and start over. If you want a real tried and true vanilla cake that does not require special ingredients try this one from Gesine Bullock Prado: http://www.gbakes.com/2008/06/recipe-in-honor-of-renaissance-of-home.html
With this recipe the cake and the frosting were PERFECT! I am sorry to give a bad review, but it is honest. I am in Utah, so maybe your recipe does not work at high altitude?
Gail, I am sorry the cake didn’t turn out for you. It worked beautifully here in Oregon and I am pretty sure the problem was you are baking at a high altitude. I bake at sea level. In the notes of the recipe there are some ways to adjust a recipe when baking at a high altitude. I always adjust recipes when I am visiting in Utah and baking at a high altitude.
I just made it in 2 round pans, and used my leftovers for cupcakes, and it turned out so good in both! So sorry yours didn’t turn out well, but I think I have a new favorite vanilla cake recipe!
So glad you loved it too!!
Have you tried making these in cupcakes? How long would I bake them and would I need to change anything?
Camber, I have only made it as a layer cake so not sure how it would translate to a cupcake. If you are in a higher altitude you might need to adjust the recipe.
This looks so delicious and plan to make it this weekend. Would any type of cake flour work if I am unable to find Bob Red Mill cake flour? Thanks
Carol, yes you can use any brand of cake flour
Cake looks so delicious!! Thanks for the suggestion of using Red Bob’s cake flour. I’m going to try it. Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
This cake looks yummy
It was amazing and the frosting is so good!
Can this same recipe be used and made into cupcakes instead?
Ashley, Haven’t tried it but it should work
Can I use a 13×9 pan instead of round cake pans?
Melanie, I haven’t used a 9 x 13 but it should work, it may end up thicker so the baking time may need to be longer. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Just wanted to point out that your instructions don’t mention adding vanilla to the frosting, although it is listed under ingredients. At which point should the vanilla be added? I’m looking forward to trying this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Kim, Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I updated the recipe.
Omg! Made this cake and shared it with family! What a beautiful cake, it’s a have again, amazing, were some of the comments! The vanilla cake was so moist and is now my go to cake recipe!