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
I bake quite a bit and found this recipe most intimidating. The cakes were dry, and the icing was grainy. The consistency of the icing was very thick. It did not spread well and I had to patch it by hand and smooth with a warm wet knife. The icing had a good flavor, but the grainy part bothered me. I am going to wait until the afternoon to see if the icing is too hard to be icing and I may have to go buy a store bought cake as I made it for a friend’s birthday.
Try adding one tablespoon of corn syrup to the first part which is supposed to stop the sugar from crystalizing. Some people add lemon juice which they say also stops the sugar from crystalizing. I would try the corn syrup fist though!!
Thanks so much for adding these tips, Mary! xo
The frosting was by far the most intimidating. I was patient with the caramel and did the softball test as instructed; however, once I started adding the confectioners sugar, the icing wasn’t puffing up to icing consistency – it was still rather dripping. I added up to another full cup of sugar and then noticed it was getting dense… a tbs of milk didn’t help either. Right now I’m letting the frosting cool and will then try whipping it again, but is there a reason why the icing is more drippy than forming peaks? And what can I do to fix it??
Hi Beth,
Sorry the frosting gave you problems! While I’m not certain what happened, it sounds like the caramel needed more whipping time to incorporate the butter before adding the confectioner’s sugar. Once you add the confectioner’s sugar and it incorporates, you’ll want to turn the mixer on high speed to whip a lot of air into the frosting to lighten it up. About 20 seconds or so per cup. Since all of the sugar is now in the caramel, I’d try putting it back in the bowl and whipping it on high, watching it carefully, to get some air worked into it. Good luck!!!
I’d been searching for a ‘real’ caramel frosting recipe (i.e., not brown sugar) to make some salted caramel cake balls, and since the butter cake recipe looked fantastic as well, I made both. It was heartbreaking to have to crumble it up for the cake balls — the texture was just too perfect! Next time (and there will be many next times), it will be served as a cake so that texture can be properly appreciated.
This is far and away the best caramel frosting I’ve tasted, too. I thought I’d ruined it somehow when my caramel sort of clumped up towards the end of the whipping/cooling time, but the powdered sugar and a few tablespoons of milk brought it right back together.
Raves from everyone who’s tasted the results so far. Thanks so much for sharing!
Is this the only yellow cake you have?thank you
My frosting did not turn out as brown as that pictured. I could only get the temperature to 200 or the pot would boil over. Would that make a difference in color? What are the dimensions of a 3 – 4 quart pot?
Hi!
I tried your BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER and it was a hit! Now, I’m searching for the best caramel cake recipe for a change and ended here at your blog. I would love to also try this recipe because I’m a SUCKER for caramel and I love caramel! I only have 2 questions. What is “softball stage”? (newbie baker here he he) and I can’t seem to find a liquid buttermilk here. Can I use a powder buttermilk instead? Hoping for your reply. Thanks!! 🙂
Just a quick question…
On the southern caramel cake recipe you mention using salted butter in the cake batter, is that the same for this recipe? Also, is it salted or unsalted butter in the frosting?
Hi Cathy,
Real bakers always recommend using unsalted butter and adding your salt. I never remember to buy it and just use salted butter for it.
Hi! I tried my hands at this recipe the other day and, for some reason, the cake came out with a consistency closer to that of a pound cake. I reviewed the ingredients and directions multiple times and cannot figure out what would have caused this. Any thoughts?
Thank you for the amazing recipe! I made it for my girlfriend’s birthday and it was a huge hit. I have to question though to see if maybe I did something wrong.
1) The cake didn’t rise very much (3, 9 inch round cake pans), is that normal? They rose maybe about 30-35% of the original batter size. Any idea why this might be if it was supposed to be more?
2) I would like to try to make the cake more moist (personal preference). I used greek yogurt instead of buttermilk, but wanted your opinion on adding applesauce for moisture. I’ve used it on other recipes with great results.
This is the second recipe I use from your website and I look forward to making more!
How much caramel do I use? It never says