Butter Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting Recipe
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Southern Caramel Cake. It’s just hard to beat it. It is one of my family’s all-time favorite cakes – especially for holidays, birthdays and major celebrations.
You can just count on it appearing to make those special occasions even more special.
Memorable even.
It’s odd to put that much significance on a cake, but you know, that’s just the way it goes around my house.
I’ve talked about this cake before and how much the recipe means to my family.
The original cake will forever be a family-favorite.
Anything used for my baby’s first birthday cake has to be extra special. Don’t you think?
Oh my goodness. Just seeing that photo makes my heart melt.
Where has the time gone?
But thankfully, we weren’t celebrating my baby’s birthday this past weekend. I’m not exactly ready for him to be 11 yet. It was my Mama’s turn.
So, since my Mama has given the world to me, I thought it was only fitting that I make her very favorite cake for her on her birthday. But, I did something we’ve never done in my family. I changed the recipe!
GASP!
I did. I really did.
And I wasn’t struck by lightening.
I went to bed and slept well.
I woke up and pinched myself because I hadn’t gone to…. well, you get the picture.
Before I go on. You really can’t go wrong with the original Southern Caramel Cake recipe that I’ve shared and made a thousand and one times. It’s perfect. No kidding. Perfect.
But, if you want to have a little fun with this cake and change things up a bit, you might just fall in love with this version, too.
So. Here’s what I did.
I made the cake recipe and the frosting recipe both just a touch lighter.
And I mean lighter as in texture, not as in calories. Just to be clear.
Just look at that texture!
Gracious!
Let me just say, no one refused a piece.
And the birthday girl loved it.
Please note that this recipe makes a three layer, 9-inch cake. I used the batter from one of the layers to make my Little Buddy some cupcakes. He couldn’t wait.
Here’s the recipe for my Butter Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting that I think you should make for your next special occasion.
Like a birthday, anniversary, engagement, shower, or just because it’s Wednesday.
That’ll do, too.
Butter Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
Butter Cake Recipe
- 3 cups (360 g) flour, all-purpose
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
- pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
- 1 cup (226 g) softened butter, 2 sticks
- 2 cups (396 g) sugar
- 4 (200 g) eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (9.4 g) vanilla extract
Salted Buttercream Frosting Recipe
First Stage
- 2 cups (396 g) sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk
- 1/2 cup (92 g) shortening
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
Second Stage
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter
- 1/2 teaspoon (3.25 g) sea salt
- 2 cups (227 g) confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
Butter Cake Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare 3 9-inch cake pans with shortening and flour.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter until fluffy and then add sugar. Cream together for about 8 more minutes.
- Add eggs, 1 at a time, and cream together after each.
- Add flour mixture and buttermilk, alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Combine each addition of flour and then turn mixer on high to add air into the batter.
- Add vanilla and beat well. Turn mixer on high once vanilla has been incorporated for about 10 seconds to lighten batter.
- Divide among pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. You can follow my tips for how to tell when your cake is done.
- Turn out of pans onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely.
Salted Caramel Buttercream Recipe
- Add all ingredients from the first stage of the frosting recipe in a 3-4 quart pot. Stir ingredients with a wooden spoon as cooking over medium-low heat.
- Cook to softball stage (235-245 degrees on a candy thermometer as well as using the cold water test).
- Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whip attachment, whip the caramel until it has cooled enough to touch lightly.
- Add the butter and salt from the second stage of the frosting recipe to the mixing bowl and whip.
- Add confectioner’s sugar in 1/2 cup increments, stopping after each to scrape sides of mixing bowl. Turn mixer onto high for about 10 seconds after each addition to incorporate air into the frosting.
- Adjust the amount of confectioner's sugar to result in a frosting that will hold shape.
- Frost cake and store on a cake plate covered with a dome or an airtight container.
- Best served within 1-3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Salt! Caramel! Cake! What could be better? Your post just made my morning.(:
Between you and bridget this morning…I am bound to be in the kitchen all day baking stuff to shove in my face. This looks and sounds AMAZING!!!
Caramel cake is such a fantastic old southern classic. It’s one of my family’s favorites, too, Robyn. I don’t think we could have a birthday, a reunion, Thanksgiving, or Christmas without a caramel cake. Love your addition of the sea salt. Gotta try that next time I make one!
Totally sighing over here, Robyn. THAT is one amazing looking cake! Let’s see….the next birthday in our family is….MINE. Think my boys will make this for me? 😉
But of course they will! 😉
Beautiful! Nothing better than a moist layer cake!
Have you ever made this recipe as cupcakes? Where there any bake time or ingredient adjustments? Looks great!
Thanks, Erica. I actually used one of the layers that this recipe makes (it makes a three layer, 9-inch cake) for cupcakes when I made this cake. The baking time for the cupcakes is about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. I will say that the batter is so light, you’ll want to make sure not to fill the cupcake tins too high.
This looks and sounds amazing, Robyn! Sometimes you need to change a family recipe to make it even better!
This cake looks so delicious!
Thanks Katrina! I wish I could share a piece with ya!
oh my… that looks scrumptious. i think i just fainted out of amazement little haha. that frosting!!!! yum!
Thanks so much, Christine.
This looks delicious! But the frosting recipe doesn’t make sense. Step 1 says add all ingredients. Then you add the second stick of butter and powdered sugar later?
Thanks so much for catching that, Jordan. I’ve updated the recipe to clarify the two stages of the frosting recipe. I really appreciate it! xoxo
Still confused about icing. Is it three sticks of butter total–one in first phase and two in second phase? The directions say to add one stick in second phase, but the ingredients list says one cup which would be two sticks.
Thanks so much, Melissa. I think the recipe should read a bit more clearly now.
is this brown sugar or just white sugar
Hi Phyllis! It is white granulated sugar.
Help! How much and what kind of carmel is added to the frosting! The version of frosting currently posted does not have Carmel listed….I am in the process of making the cake and need the Carmel requirements for the frosting. Thanks!
Margie
You know what…I think I just realized that I am making Carmel….too funny! I am so new to this from scratch stuff…but I love!
That’s what it says.. It’s simple, follow the directions and you have a delicious cake!