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
Hi! Found this on Pinterest a bit back and made it yesterday for my granddaughter’s 21st birthday. It came out perfect and everyone loved it. Has already moved to the top of the hit list! Thanks!
This cake came out yummy! I made a 9 x 13 for ease of sharing with another family. It baked in just about the recommended time. I can’t wait to try this frosting on something chocolate! Thanks!
Two things, my cake batter fit into two 8 inch square pans. If you were to put it into three, would you only have an inch thick cake?
Also, for those of us that know nothing about candy but do about baking, the caramel process is different. I have made homemade caramel but with brown sugar and/or condensed milk. So, I didn’t know you kept the pan on the burner to “brown” it.
Just for those of us not familiar with that type of caramel. Thanks!
Otherwise, it was good!
Made this but in cupcake form. Thanks for the recipe! I love how moist they are. 🙂
I also turned them into little snowmen heads. 🙂
http://www.toddlindsey.com/2013/01/snowmen-butter-cake-cupcakes.html
I am wanting to make this recipe for a Christmas time desert. I am confused where the caramel comes into play and how much is desired. It is not in the list of ingredients so if you could let me know how much you used id really appreciate it!
Thanks!
Hi Chandler,
You are making the caramel in this recipe. I hope you enjoy it.
Do you think the caramel Buttercream will work for french macaroons?
Hi Ana,
I’ve not tried it in french macaroons, but if you do please come back and let me know how it works for you.
Robyn this is such a great looking cake! Nothing beats a soft, moist, tender butter cake – loaded with buttercream. Of the caramel variety. Pinning!
I just made this cake and it was pretty good but I have a few questions / comments.
The cake was the consistency of a pound cake and not light and fluffy like most layer cakes I make. I made the recipe as directed except I put all the batter in 2 nine inch pans instead of 3. Could this have contributed to the dense texture?
The salted caramel frosting had an amazing flavor. However, it was difficult to ice the cake. The frosting was a bit stiff and it was tough to work it around the cake. I probably should have added some milk or cream to loosen it up a bit but didn’t think of that until it was too late. Is the frosting supposed to be a bit stiff given its base is soft caramel?
Thanks for sharing! Amazing flavor.
Hi Lisa,
I’ve never had this cake with a texture of a pound cake. It always is light and fluffy for me. It could have been that you combined all of the batter into 2 pans. I’ve not made it as a 2-layer cake – only a 3-layer and also as cupcakes. Both without any issues. For the frosting, it sounds like it may have been worked just a wee bit too long. To rescue frosting that has hardened like that, just add a bit more cream to lighten and loosen it. Thanks so much!
Hi this is the first time I’ve seen your webpage and it looks beautiful. I was looking for a great slated caramel cake becasue I was challenged recently to make one. While I love to cook, I tend to like to find ways to cheat with the recipes I use. I was wondering if you ever considered, or tried, using store bough caramels and melting them rather than making the caramel from scratch. I know it’s not much work but my past epeiriences with creating caramel has not been the best. Thanks so much.
Ok, so I was really excited to make this! But my icing turned out nothing like your photo! It ended up in hard little balls. I ended up salvaging it by putting it back on the stove and mixing milk in it, but I was about to throw it away. The cake part is delicious, but a big bland (but that makes sense with such a strongly flavored icing). I don’t know, not sure what I did wrong but if it’s this hard it might just be above my head! 🙂 All in all, it was edible, but just not what I’d expected for so much time invested.
Hi Chelsey, It sounds like you may have overworked your frosting for it to have ended up in hard little balls. This frosting really ends up as a light, fluffy buttercream consistency. Thanks so much and good luck if you try it again!