Yesterday I shared with you about my Mama’s Chocolate Marble Squares. Well, I had lots of emails and requests for the recipe for the caramel icing to go along with it.
Have I ever told you that you are definitely my kind of people?
You most certainly are! There is nothing like fresh, homemade caramel icing to make the world go ’round.
Cause I really and truly think that it does.
Good caramel icing is an act of love. You truly put your heart and soul into making good southern caramel icing.
My Grandmother Verdie would stand at her stove for what seemed like hours swirling her pan to get the perfect “color” on her sugar. Her hands wrought with arthritis, she held the cast iron dutch oven as tightly as possible as she kept the rhythm of the caramel in her heavy pan. She never used a mixer to make her caramel icing, I always was amazed that she didn’t. The time it had taken her to swirl her pan earlier seemed like seconds compared to watching her beat the icing by hand.
When I married, I learned that my mother-in-law also had a special recipe for a cake topped with southern caramel icing. She’d learned to make it from an aunt of my father-in-law’s when she married into the family. She’d talk about how Aunt T would beat her icing by hand so that it would be just right. While her recipe was slightly different, Aunt T’s and my Grandmother’s method were still the same.
When Little Buddy turned one, I decided it was high time that I made a caramel cake myself. We were living with my husband’s parents as we were building our house at the time. We’d invited all of our family to a dinner to celebrate the big day. I’d worked for weeks planning the menu, creating the perfect invitations, finding just the right color of light blue placemats to match a speck of blue in my mother-in-law’s rug, and thinking about this cake.
It had to be perfect.
The icing had to taste just like the caramel icing from when I was a little girl carefully watching my Grandmother.
I set out to make the icing all by myself. I was determined not to call Grandmother Verdie to help me. The arthritis had even further ravaged her hands by now, but I knew she wouldn’t let that stop her from trying to make it for me.
After three attempts, I finally had a caramel icing I could spread on Little Buddy’s birthday cake. I felt like I had accomplished the world. I’d repeated the dance I’d watched so many times before, swirl and stir, swirl and stir, swirl and stir until I finally found just the right rhythm.
Here’s how I make it.
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup Crisco
- ½ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Mix all ingredients in a 3-4 quart cast iron dutch oven.
- Swirl pan to keep ingredients moving in the pan.
- Cook to softball stage 235º – 245º on a candy thermometer or when tested in a cup of cold water.
- Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon until creamy and ready to spread.
- This is a perfect icing for Southern Caramel Cake
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does.
Enjoy!
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Oh my! Now you’ve done it! This is a must try. It looks absolutely perfect and so delicious. I can think of some many ways to put this recipe to good use. Thanks for sharing.
Buttermilk! What a wonderful ingredient for icing. I wonder if it would be good to make and eat off of a spatula? Forget the cake!
Yep, cake optional!
Hi Robyn…have you ever tried to use 1 cup of butter and omit the crisco?
Merry♥
Hi Merry!
I’ve not tried with butter in place of the shortening. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
Thank you so much for sharing!!! Caramel icing sounds AMAZING. Looks perfect!
Oh my! I could eat a bowl of that icing~!
Who needs the marble cake? I’m pretty sure I’d be happy with a bowl of this frosting, a spoon, and a dark closet!!
I bet that is WORTH all of the swirling!
My southern caramel icing, learned from my grandmother, is made with brown sugar, butter, cream and 10x. Little bit of vanilla. It’s pretty good too. And doesn’t require the use of crisco.
@ Linda – Could you share your recipe too? I live in France now, although I am from the South, and we can’t get Crisco here! I have a major craving now though and think my husband would love this for Father’s Day.
One of us would anyway!
I was hoping you’d post this!
oh i want to make this and slather it all over warm cinnamon rolls . . . oh. my. heck.
this is such a great recipe! I made a caramel cake not too long ago and the icing wasn’t NEARLY as good as I imagine this is!
I’ve wanted a recipe for caramel frosting ever since reading The Help. Thanks Robyn!!
What if I don’t have a cast iron dutch oven? What would be the next best thing to use? Also,at what temp do you have the stovetop? Can’t wait to make this!
I would try another heavy-bottomed large pot and watch even more carefully so it doesn’t burn. Let me know how it goes.
Hi Robyn!!! I stumbled across your recipes for caramel cake and the accompanying icing via Pinterest. Made this last night and it was heaven. My husband and I decided that we have NEVER tasted better cake, ever. The icing was fantastic, but much trickier for me as I have never made anything like it before (my dad was always in charge of these activities—killer fudge). However, with A LOT of patience, the icing turned out perfectly and I just wanted to thank you for sharing a family tradition that is good for the belly and the soul. Any additional tips you have on the icing, however, would be appreciated. Mine took alot longer than the estimated 20 minutes, so not sure if I missed something… Anyway, thank you again!
Hey Whitney,
I’m so glad you made the cake and everyone loved it! It really is quite the masterpiece cake that folks just love! On the icing, I’ve found that the weather can make the times off, too. In not really sure why, but if it is rainy or humid, it takes a bit longer than usual.
Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out!
I don’t quite understand steps 3 and 4. Can you please explain? I want to make this for my father’s birthday!
This site explains ‘softball stage’
Elizabeth – when you cook the icing, it needs to cook long enough so it is thick enough to spread once you whip it. To test whether you’ve cooked it long enough, fill a glass with cold water, then dip a spoon in the icing, and let a small amount drip off the spoon in to the water. When the ball of icing looks like it holds shape like a soft ball rather than a stringy, spread out mess, that’s when you know it is done. It takes a whole lot of patience to get to that stage, but it is very important or else you’ll end up with a soupy mess! When it gets to the “soft ball” stage, remove it from the heat, let it cool, then whip it (with either a spoon, whisk, or a stand mixer) – my grandmother used to wait until it cooled and then put it in the blender
OMG! I just made this icing for my boyfriend’s birthday. I was a little nervous because it definitely took way longer than 20 minutes to make before it was even somewhat close to being able to go on the cake, but once it was- I haven’t stopped eating it. I need to because it actually looks like bacon grease- and it might as well be. I was cooking at his apartment for convenience but he didn’t have baking soda so that was the one thing that was missing from mine- still delicious though- just a clearer color – and not close to being brown like in the pictures. Is that what would have made the difference?
Yes, you absolutely need the baking soda.
Thank you for both the cake and frosting recipes. For the frosting, I’d like to up the butter to 1 cup in place of the Crisco. Personal preference not to use Crisco. Will this impact the integrity of the frosting??
Thank you so much for posting this recipe!! My husband’s people are
from Mississippi and this is his favorite cake. My mother-in-lawnhas tried for years to
replicate his Grandmother’s recipes, but we had missed the little
touches you included, especially using a mixer to mix the icing at the softball stage. Thank you soooo much again. It made his birthday!!
Elizabeth,
Thank you so much for telling me! I am so glad that you found the recipe and he loved it for his birthday! There’s just nothing like when you are able to make something or taste something that reminds you of those that you love so much. Thank you again for your comment. xoxo
What is the softball stage?
Hi Kim,
Jessie gives a great description of Softball Stage in Comment #22 that should help you out. If at all possible, I recommend using a candy thermometer that has all of the stages clearly marked.
I am glad to have found this recipe. Recently I shared Caroloine’s Caramel Cake with my mother and she immediately recognized the icing as her Aunt Georgie’s icing from the 1930s. I have always heard the legend of this delicious caramel icing that took so long to beat by hand, but I have never seen the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing yours!
We have a tradition in our family of grand daddy making the grand kids birthday cakes. My grand daughter wants a caramel cake. In looking at your caramel icing recipe I don’t see where you add caramel to the frosting. Did I miss something? Thank you!
Hi, such a fun tradition that I know your grandchildren will cherish! You are actually making the caramel in my recipe for the icing. Hope she has a wonderful birthday!
Just curious if this icing will harden up or be as firm as a buttercream.. need it to hold fondant. Thanks and can’t wait to try it.
Is there by chance a way to rescue the icing if you over-beat it? I tried to make the Southern Caramel Cake for my wife’s birthday, but I let the frosting go too long.
When you say Crisco, do you mean the actual stuff in the can or the liquid oil?
The vegetable shortening in the can or sticks, not the vegetable oil.
That’s what I thought but you just never know. Thanks! I’m gonna attempt this sometime this week.
its caramel icing….but no caramels needed to make it?!
Hi Emily,
You are making the caramel for the icing. So, no, no caramels needed. Enjoy! xoxo
What temp does it need to cook at on the stove and does it need to come to a boil?
Hi Reagan,
You’ll want to cook your caramel to between 235º – 245º F on a candy thermometer. I generally stop mine about 235º when using my digital candy thermometer for a lighter colored or go longer toward 245º F for a bit darker. Your caramel will definitely reach a heavy boil as it gets closer to these temperatures. Good luck and I can’t wait to hear how you like it!
I’m about to attempt a seven layer cake! Will I need to let the cakes cool completely and do you think the icing may harden while I’m icing all the layers? Thanks!
Hi Phyllis!
Enjoy and let me know how that seven layer cake turns out!!!
I am in awe of you! Seven layers? Wow! Yes, I would definitely let the cake cool completely before icing. Otherwise, the warmth of the cake will make the icing slide and not set up as well on the cake as it should. A trick I sometimes use to prevent my caramel icing from getting too hard as I’m icing a large cake is to keep the icing bowl over a hot bowl of water. I will also keep a cup of hot water to the side to help as well. I’ve not attempted that many layers though, but you’ll want to work quickly!
How come my icing is not brown and creamy like in the picture? It is a liquid white substance. How do I get it to turn brown from the insttuctions posted on how to make the icing?
Hi! I’m not sure what could have happened, but it sounds like your caramel didn’t reach the right point before it was removed from the heat. If the temperature on your candy thermometer registered the right temperature, and your candy thermometer is accurate, you may need to increase the cooking time a bit until the caramel reaches a soft amber, caramel coloring. The icing won’t be any darker than your caramel. I hope those points help.
I have made this caramel twice now, and I have not been able to achieve a consistency that will keep its shape. Both times I ended up mixing the caramel with cream cheese, and it still ran off the cake, making for a very dry dessert. Any tips?
Hi Kimber,
I would say that you need to continue to beat the caramel as it doesn’t sound like it has reached spreading consistency yet.
Thanks for an interesting version of my favorite icing! Your photos are gorgeous.
For those having questions about the icing,
a) regular sugar caramelizes–melts and turns golden, then darker–in a pan being heated. It scorches easily, so this recipe avoids that risk by combining liquid with the sugar right from the start.
b) It really is necessary to use a candy thermometer–this icing has built-in uncertainty (see part C below), so why add to it?
c) the typical thing about caramel frosting is that it seems to take the longest time to change from a molasses-ey consistency to a thicker one, and THEN it threatens to turn suddenly into thick, fudgey stuff that could stick bricks together! I’ve made it many times and each time I sweat bullets about whether it will thicken up or not! As it cools, it usually develops a kind of sugary or grainy quality.
d) I’m not sure how it would work with your recipe, Robyn, but guidelines in the recipes I usually use (cream + butter + brown sugar as the base) suggest cooling the icing before beating. One recipe says to cool it to 140 degrees, one suggests 110 degrees (personally, I’d be nervous about the icing seizing up too fast, but I’ll try it someday), and the great Bill Neal says simply to cool “till lukewarm” and then beat it. In these recipes, a bit of cold butter is beaten into the frosting just as it’s removed from heat,and the vanilla is added at the end of the cooling period, before the serious beating begins.
e) Neal also noted that icing that had grown too firm could be restored by very gently reheating with some cream or milk. (And I’ve had that happen, and stirred in warm cream just to get the last bit spreadable for the sides of the cake!!!!
Hope that helps!
I can’t wait to try your recipes for the icing AND the cake!
Hi Robyn,
I made your cake for Christmas and it was the best caramel cake I’ve ever had. It’s my favorite cake and I can’t find it in bakeries in my city so I try to get a slice whenever I visit my childhood hometown. This icing was so easy to make and just the taste I’m looking for! Thank you so much! It’s very generous of you to share this. I didn’t use Crisco though. I substituted it with twice the butter. It still turned out great. Your caramel cake recipe was the holiday hit at my celebration. Thank you again!
The icing is too hard I think I left it fo too long, is any way I can make it smooth
You can a little half and half to the icing, a tablespoon at a time to soften it a bit. Be careful not to add too much.
This sounds so wonderful, I really want to try it. I am unsure of Step 2 in the instructions; it says to swirl the pan. Does this mean this is not to be stirred? Thank you.
Robyn, thank you sooooo much! This is hands down one of the best caramel icings I have ever tasted! I love cooking for my friends and family, and seeing the smiles on their faces. You’ve given me more bragging rights
I will use this award winning recipe from now on! Absolutely amazing!
I just cooked the icing as a test run. I’m expecting special company in a week and wanted this cake to be perfect. You directions are so easy to follow. It is very rainey and cold here today and I was very leary about trying it, but it was so great to watch the caramel color develope. I tried to use the candt thermometer but felt like it was off and the color was getting close to yours in the photo soi ditched the thermometer and went with the soft ball stage in a cupf water. My question is should I have let it cool before whippig it with the mixer? I have put it in an air tight container in the refrig to see if I can let it come to room temp and use it in on the layers when I bake the cake. Thanks again for reviving my childhood memories and helping me make a new one!!
Hi Sandy! I usually go straight from making the caramel to whipping it. I’ve not tried refrigerating it before I use it on a cake. If it is too hard, you can keep a bowl of hot water on the side to dip your offset spatula or knife in to smooth the frosting as you apply it, but you definitely will want it to be warm enough to spread. Good luck and I hope you love it! Thanks so much for letting me know how it worked for you!
Can you tell what the baking soda does for the icing? Just wondering if it makes it more “spreadable”. Thank you!
I have no idea what a cast-iron Dutch oven even is, but want to make this. What should I use instead?
Hi Gayle,
A heavy-bottomed large stock pot will work in a pinch.
Hi.
I am trying the icing recipe and it’s my first time making caramel too. When I put it off the heat, it immediately started to separate. When I started to mix it the oil and butter rose completed to the top, and I could literally pour it off the caramel. I reduced the temperature gradually, took it off the burner and kept stirring, and then once it cooled some put it in the mixer bowl. Help please.
Hi Mallory,
It sounds like the caramel may have been brought up to temperature a bit too rapidly which would have then caused it to not be stable and then separate.
I’m from the UK and a fan of the US south, especially its food! I made this icing yesterday, for the Southern Caramel Cake. I was amazed and proud when it turned out pretty much as you describe. I thought I’d share a few details in case you/your readers are interested.
We have something called Trex over here, which I’ve heard is our equivalent to Crisco. I used a large crock pot, on a gas hob, as I don’t have a Dutch oven pot. I found that if I kept stirring on a low-medium heat for around 45 minutes it did thicken, gradually turning a deep brown colour. I don’t have a candy thermometer so I tried dripping some into cold water as you suggest. What’s weird is that I didn’t get a “soft ball”: it was still stringy, but since it was thickening and darkening so much I decided to remove it from the heat as it seemed it was about to turn. I whipped it up by hand and it was lovely and thick and easily spreadable. I had a bit of excess, which I put in the fridge and it’s gone a bit like fudge. So, do you think I did it right? It tasted fantastic, but ever so slightly grainy, making me wonder if I’d cooked it a bit too long or not whipped it enough.
Anyway, I would like to thank you for bringing this delightful icing into my life! So worth the patience… I found it mesmerising.
Laura,
Oxfordshire UK
OH MY STARZ!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just set off the fire alarm and the alarm company called us to make sure we weren’t burning the houses down!!! For other Yankees thinking this cake sounds yummy but who’ve never tried it or seen it made before – she is NOT kidding about a large pot! It bubbled up and bubbled up and boiled all over my stove – and then cooked and burned on the flat-top. I quickly changed pots (to my third!) and started it on another burner, and it finished fine! But again, know that you have to frost IMMEDIATELY! I ended up using my hands to press it around all the cake because trying to spread it tore the cake up! Yikes!! I can’t wait to taste it – I think it’s gonna be great – but what a mess I have to clean up!!
Absolutely fantastic frosting – but definitely a labor of love – because I tripled recipe, it took me over an hour to cook and beat with a mixer – but definitely will make again. Couldn’t find my candy thermometer so used softball water test. I tripled the recipe for a 2-layer 9″ x 13″ cake and had a cereal/soup bowl of frosting left over. Had to switch to a very tall pot because it does bubble up so much. Took about 40 mins. of cooking to get it to nice caramel color and thickness at that quantity. Followed one of your previous suggestions and put it in my KitchenAid mixer’s 5 qt. mixing bowl, added wire whip, and let it mix away for probably 30 mins. until it had cooled and thickened. Before I could finish spreading the frosting on the top & sides of the cake in pretty swirls like yours, it had cooled a little too much so I mixed in a little half-&-half milk and it made it just right to finish frosting the cake. Office co-worker who had requested a caramel cake said it was to die for, and she is a health nut! I had to bring her and another co-worker a little bowl of the leftover frosting for them to eat with a spoon – it sets up like fudge once cooled. We are now best friends for life! Thank you for recipe. Even with length of time it took, I still say it is a 5 star recipe!
Made this frosting using only butter (substituted butter for the Crisco as well, as Crisco isn’t available in India). Turned out just fine. Absolutely divine frosting.
Yum! I made the cake using unsalted butter only, no Crisco. I did add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Doubled the caramel frosting/icing recipe like you suggested. Turned out beautifully and tasted better! I did use my hands to “form” the frosting around the sides. I found that it did not “stick” to the cake sides very well as it cooled off. Pressing with my hands did the trick and it also smoothed out the cooling/drying frosting. Thanks for sharing. I highly recommend this carmel cake (I live in the south).
PS I too go to France & I love it there.