Fall is the perfect time for baking and this cake is about as good as they come.
When the leaves start to change and the temperatures begin dropping, there is just something special about baking delicious breads and desserts. Confections like apple fritters, cream cheese apple bars, and pumpkin butterscotch bread are some of our favorites. But there is just something stunning about this cake. Beautiful and so delicious!
How To Make Caramel Layer Cake
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The Ingredients You Will Need
This cake is buttery and delicious. You’ll need plenty of butter for both the cake and the frosting. Here’s everything you’ll need to have on hand to make this glorious cake:
For the Cake
Unsalted butter – Room temperature (you’ll need to sticks).
Sugar – Granulated.
Eggs – Preferably cage-free.
Flour – Self-rising.
Buttermilk – Whole or low-fat.
Vanilla extract
Pecans – For topping the cake
For the Caramel Frosting
Sugar – Granulated.
Corn syrup – Light.
Butter – 1 stick chilled (and cubed), and 2 more at room temperature (that’s a total of 5 sticks of butter).
Cream – Heavy or double.
Confectioners’ sugar – Also known as powdered sugar.
EXPERT TIP: We recommend greasing (cooking spray or softened butter) and flouring you pans before adding the parchment paper and then again. This will help the cake easily come out of the pans and not stick. You can also use 2 pans (instead of 3), or bake it in a 9×13″ dish. See NOTES.
Tips for Making a Perfect Caramel Layer Cake
Use Room-Temperature Ingredients – Ensure that your butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. Let the buttermilk sit about 20 minutes outside the fridge before adding. This helps create a smooth batter that incorporates air more effectively, resulting in a light and fluffy cake.
Make a Rich Caramel Sauce – For the homemade caramel sauce, cook the sugar, without stirring it, until it melts and turns a deep amber color. Carefully add butter and cream to create a smooth, rich sauce. Allow it to cool slightly before making the frosting. Be sure to leave some for drizzling over the cake.
Layer with Care – The cakes are somewhat delicate. Use both hands to gently transfer them to the cake platter before icing. Apply the icing liberally before spreading. This will help prevent the cake from crumbling and mixing with the icing.
Top with Pecans – This is optional, but we think the addition of chopped to the top of the cake delivers amazing crunch and flavor. Place a mound of whole pecans in the center of the cake and then surround those with chopped pecans. Then drizzle on the extra caramel!
How To Serve
This cake is best served at room temperature, but you can certainly heat individual slices gently in the microwave if desired.
Make extra caramel sauce for serving. Folks love the caramel!
For the ultimate dessert, we love to serve guests a nice large slice of cake topped with homemade vanilla ice cream and another drizzle of caramel sauce. Heavenly!
However, just a single slice is nothing short of dessert perfection!
Other Classic Cake Recipes to Try
There is just something extra special about homemade cake. Kids and adults can’t get enough of them. Here is a collection of our favorites:
- Classic Chocolate Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
- Red Velvet Cake
- Irish Apple Cake with Vanilla Sauce
- Classic Carrot Cake
- Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Coconut Cream Cake
- Sweet Potato Bundt Cake
- Classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Authentic Mardi Gras Cake
- American Flag Cake
These are all amazing, without a doubt. But, in the meantime, isn’t this gorgeous cake calling your name?
If you love cake and if you love caramel, this is the cake for you.
The frosting is a sweet tooth’s dream come true. The cake itself is moist, buttery, and the perfect complement to the frosting.
Once you add the pecans and extra caramel sauce over the tops and sides of the cake, you will have a stunning cake to serve to loved ones. Every bite is dessert heaven!
Ready to make the best cake in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Caramel Layer Cake
Equipment
- 3 9-inch cake pans See NOTES
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- large sturdy skillet
Ingredients
For the Cake
- cooking spray
- all-purpose flour for dusting pans
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (2 sticks)
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs preferably room temperature
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- caramel frosting recipe below
- ⅓ cup caramel sauce reserved, for garnishing
- 1½ cups pecans
For the Caramel Frosting
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- ½ cup unsalted butter cubed and chilled, 1 stick
- 1¼ cup heavy cream heated, divided
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 2 sticks
- 5 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray 3 (9-inch) cake pans with cooking spray and then sprinkle on flour. Shake off excess. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and then spray and flour again. Set aside.cooking spray, all-purpose flour
- In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter (2 sticks) with the sugar until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes), scraping down the sides when necessary.1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.4 large eggs
- Alternating flour and buttermilk, add to the mixture, starting with the flour (one-third), then half of the buttermilk, another third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk, and then the rest of the flour. Mix until smooth. Beat in the vanilla.3 cups self-rising flour, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Divide the batter among the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and then gently remove the cakes from the pans on wire racks. Let cool completely before icing.
- Spread the frosting between the layers of the cake and on the sides. Top with pecans and then drizzle the reserved caramel over the top of the cake allowing it to flow down the sides.caramel frosting, ⅓ cup caramel sauce, 1½ cups pecans
Make the Caramel Frosting
- In a large, sturdy saucepan, place the sugar over no heat.2 cups sugar
- Whisk together the water and the corn syrup in a small bowl. Pour over the sugar. Use a wooden spoon to stir the sugar just enough until it has absorbed the liquid.¼ cup water, 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- Cook over medium-high heat without stirring. As the mixture becomes thin, swirl the pan from time to time (no stirring). Continue this process until it becomes a dark amber. Use a wet pastry brush to brush down crystals that form along the edge of the pan.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the chilled, cubed butter and stir until all of the butter has melted (it will bubble and foam quite a lot). Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream and continue stirring until smooth and the color of caramel. Let rest for 1 hour to cool.½ cup unsalted butter, 1¼ cup heavy cream
- Reserve about one-third a cup of the caramel for topping the cake.
- Place the softened butter (2 sticks) in a large bowl and pour the cooled caramel over it. Use a hand mixer to blend the caramel and butter until smooth.1 cup unsalted butter
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Continue mixing until smooth. Add a little more cream (about 1/4 cup) until the frosting is spreadable. The frosting is now ready to use.5 cups confectioners' sugar
