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    Caramel Cake Recipe | Takes Just 10 Minutes To Prep

    Published: Oct 2, 2022 · Modified: Dec 18, 2022 · By: Brendan Cunningham

    Jump to Recipe

    This caramel cake recipe is the best of both worlds. It's a fluffy, sweet cake that's layered and topped with a decadently delicious caramel frosting. And the best part about this Southern caramel cake is how simple it is to make - just a few pantry staples are all you need! Honestly, after you make this recipe once, you'll never want to make a normal cake again!

    A caramel cake covered in caramel frosting.

    Table of Contents

    • The Best Caramel Cake Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • How To Make Caramel Cake
        • Step 1: Prep Work
        • Step 2: Making The Cake Batter
        • Step 3: Bake The Cake
        • Step 4: Make The Caramel Icing
        • Step 5: Complete The Caramel Cake
      • How To Store Caramel Cake
      • Wrapping It Up
    • More Dessert Recipes
    • Caramel Cake Recipe | Takes Just 10 Minutes To Prep
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition
      • Did you make this recipe?

    The Best Caramel Cake Recipe

    Caramel cake...do I even need to say anything more?

    Seriously, this cake is out-of-this-world good, and if you've never made/had caramel cake before, you're in for a treat.

    Rich caramel frosting is layered between two moist cakes, and you'd never guess how easy it is to make given how good it tastes. And, honestly, your friends and family won't either! They'll be convinced you picked this up from your favorite local bakery. 

    That's why I love bringing/making this cake to family get-togethers. It just stands out in its presentation and flavor, and everyone always raves about it. It's actually my aunt's favorite Thanksgiving dessert.

    Anyway, if you're looking for more equally awesome easy dessert recipes to pair alongside this Southern caramel cake, something on the chocolatey side like this no bake chocolate pie or no bake peanut butter pie are always great choices. Plus, since you'll need the oven for the cake, these no bake desserts come in the clutch, especially during busy holiday season.

    A slice of caramel cake being held of the whole caramel cake.

    Ingredients

    So, as I mentioned before, both the cake and frosting are made with all pantry staple baking ingredients.

    So, there's a pretty good chance you have all of them at home already! 

    A variety of different cake ingredients set on a white table. Some of which include butter, eggs, and cream.

    Anyway, here's what you'll need to make the Southern caramel cake:

    • 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 ½ cup Granulated Sugar
    • ½ cup Brown Sugar
    • 1 tbsp. Baking Powder
    • 1 tsp. Salt
    • ¾ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
    • ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
    • 1 cup Milk
    • 3 Eggs
    • 1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract

    And, for the caramel frosting:

    • 2 cups Brown Sugar
    • 1 cup Unsalted Butter
    • ½ tsp. Salt
    • About ¾ cups Heavy Cream
    • 2 cups Powdered Sugar

    That's it!

    Not too bad, right?

    Now, this is everything used to make a traditional Southern caramel cake. So, if you trying to keep things as legit as possible, I don't really recommend substituting anything out.

    With that said, you can use any milk that you want, and the cake will turn out great.

    Also, just so you know, if you want to really double down on the caramel flavor, consider using dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. Using dark brown sugar will also result in a darker-colored caramel icing which is a nice touch.

    Oh, and by the way, you can use a lot of these ingredients to make these caramel rolls and  Italian hangover cake too. So you might want to give those a try next!

    A white bowl will with dry ingredients. There is a spoon inserted into the ingredients as well.

    How To Make Caramel Cake

    Now, if you've never made caramel icing before - or any icing from scratch - don't worry. It's not nearly as hard as it may sound. In fact, you may find that you'll want to make this caramel icing recipe all fall long!

    As for the cake, it's pretty much as simple as making the boxed kind. Honestly, it'll be a breeze if you don't have cake baking experience too.

    Anyway, let's not waste any more time and get into it!

    A large bowl with flour, milk, and eggs, plus a dishtowel and raw cake baking ingredients placed next to the bowl.

    Step 1: Prep Work

    Start by preheating the oven to 350° (180ºC) and line two round cake pans - I used 8 inch ones- with parchment paper and set them aside for later.

    Next, in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Give everything a good mix with a fork or whisk to combine.

    A large bowl of freshly whipped cake batter with an electric hand mixer having been removed and placed over the bowl. The mixer is covered in batter and there is a dishtowel and small bowls of raw ingredients placed next to the bowl of cake batter.

    Step 2: Making The Cake Batter

    Now we are going to combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture to make the cake batter.

    To do that, add the butter, vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to the bowl of dry ingredients. Then, mix everything together with an electric mixer until the ingredients combine and are creamy.

    Also, just a heads up, the cake batter will start out very grainy, so keep beating until everything is well mixed and you have a smooth batter.

    A cake pan with raw cake better in it. The table is covered with ingredients and a dishtowel.

    Step 3: Bake The Cake

    Now, take out the cake pans you prepared earlier and pour the cake batter evenly into the two pans. And you can smooth out the top of each cake with a rubber spatula to make sure they're even.

    Next, put the cakes on the middle rack of the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I like to start checking on them every 5 minutes at the 30 minute mark just to be on the safe side.

    A pot of caramel that was just removed from the heat and is resting on a small wood cutting board, with bowls of vanilla extract and powdered sugar placed next to it.

    Step 4: Make The Caramel Icing

    While the cakes are baking, it's time to make the caramel icing.

    Start by melting the brown sugar, unsalted butter, salt, and heavy cream in a pot on medium heat - or medium-high heat - until it bubbles.

    Once bubbling, remove the pot from the heat and transfer the caramel icing to a bowl to let it cool.

    Then, to finish making the caramel icing, add the powdered sugar to the bowl and mix until you have a smooth icing.

    A bowl of frosting with a spoon sticking out of it. There is the unfrosted cake in a cake pan and a dishtowel next to the frosting.

    Step 5: Complete The Caramel Cake

    Now, once the cakes are done baking, remove them from the pans and let them cool for a minute or two on a wire rack.

    Then, using a serrated knife, carefully trim the tops of the cakes to make them even.

    After you've got them even, it's time to build out the cake! To do that, just spread a layer of caramel icing on top of one of the cakes, then place the other cake on top of that and cover it completely with the rest of the frosting.

    Finally, slice the cake into about 12 slices and enjoy!

    A cake on a cutting board with a hand holding a large spoon, layering the frosting over the top of the cake. The remaining frosting is in a bowl next to the cake.

    How To Store Caramel Cake

    So, as I just mentioned, this recipe for caramel cake will make about 12 slices - depending on how you cut it of course.

    With that said, if you happen to have any leftover caramel cake, it can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for about 7 days.

    Alternatively, you can freeze the caramel cake for up to 3 months if you'd like to store it longer. Then, whenever you want to enjoy the frozen cake, just take it out of the freezer, let it thaw in the fridge - or at room temperature - and enjoy!

    A slice of caramel cake being held of the whole caramel cake.

    Wrapping It Up

    Well, that's how to make caramel cake!

    It may look like a lot of steps, but I assure you, you will have no problem making this Southern caramel cake time and time again. 

    Honestly, this really is the perfect cake recipe to whip out during the fall season. It's just so moist, rich, and has a deep caramel flavor that everyone will fall in love with.

    Anyway, if you gave this Southern caramel cake recipe a try, be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went!

    And, as always, don't forget to check us out on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok pages for more easy dessert recipes just like this one!

    A slice of cake covered in frosting on a white plate, with the rest of the cake on a cutting board behind it. There is also a small bowl of frosting with a spoon in it, a dishtowel, and a knife resting on a cutting board behind the slice of cake.

    More Dessert Recipes

    Still hungry for more dessert recipes?

    We've got you covered! 

    Here are some of our fall favorites:

    • Strawberry crunch cake
    • No bake pumpkin pie
    • Pumpkin cream cheese bread
    • Old fashioned sweet potato pie
    • Sweet potato muffins
    • Fireball Fudge
    • Mini no bake cheesecake bites
    Print

    Caramel Cake Recipe | Takes Just 10 Minutes To Prep

    A slice of caramel cake being held of the whole caramel cake.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 review

    This caramel cake recipe is the best of both worlds. It's a fluffy, sweet cake that's layered and topped with a decadently delicious caramel frosting. And the best part about this Southern caramel cake is how simple it is to make - just a few pantry staples are all you need! Honestly, after you make this recipe once, you'll never want to make a normal cake again!

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Total Time: 55 minutes
    • Yield: 12 slices 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Southern

    Ingredients

    Scale

    3 cups All-Purpose Flour

    1 ½ cup Granulated Sugar

    ½ cup Brown Sugar

    1 tbsp. Baking Powder

    1 tsp. Salt

    ¾ cup Unsalted Butter, softened

    ¼ cup Vegetable Oil

    1 cup Milk

    3 Eggs

    1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract

    And, for the caramel frosting:

    2 cups Brown Sugar

    1 cup Unsalted Butter

    ½ tsp. Salt

    About ¾ cups Heavy Cream

    2 cups Powdered Sugar

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC).
    2. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
    3. Add the butter, vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix with an electric mixer until creamy. It will start being very grainy until it incorporates, just keep beating until everything’s well mixed.
    4. Line 2 round cake pans (8-inch) with parchment paper and pour the cake batter into them.
    5. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    6. Melt the brown sugar, unsalted butter, salt, and heavy cream in a pot until it bubbles. Remove from the stovetop, transfer to a bowl, and let it cool.
    7. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and mix to combine.
    8. Once the cakes are done, let them cool and cut the tops with a serrated knife to even them out.
    9. Place a layer of the caramel frosting on top of one of the cakes, top with the other cake, and cover completely with the rest of the caramel frosting.
    10. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 slice
    • Calories: 694
    • Fat: 41
    • Carbohydrates: 76
    • Protein: 5

    Keywords: caramel cake, caramel cake recipe, caramel cakes, easy caramel cake recipe, southern caramel cake recipe, southern caramel cake, caramel cake recipe southern, caramel cake recipe easy, caramel cake frosting, best caramel cake

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @ImHungryForThat — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tori G.

      October 04, 2022 at 9:54 am

      I love caramel everything and this cake did not disappoint!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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