Southern Caramel Cake is a fabulously rich and decadent cake with tons of super sweet icing. This is a cake that will make any occasion memorable.
As a child it seems like whenever I went to my grandmother’s house, which was often for a holiday or special occasion, there was always a caramel cake. They were never made by her. I don’t think she baked anything in her entire life, but she had lots of friends who loved to bake and they were constantly bringing her food gifts. Pound Cake and Caramel Cake were the two regulars.
I fell in love with the icing on a Caramel Cake at a very young age. It is as sweet as sweet can be. Sometimes I would just eat the icing and leave the cake part because it can tend to be a little dry and bland.
But this Southern Caramel Cake from Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations
Because it’s all about the icing.
I actually didn’t intend for it to have this much icing, but both my cake layers collapsed slightly in the middle (I think I opened the oven door too many times to check on them.) and I didn’t have a sharp enough serrated knife to even out the top. I probably should have just flipped them over and had the bottom be the top. But my mind must have been so fixated on the icing that I wasn’t thinking straight.
Instead I had to let a ton of frosting pool in the middle to flatten out the top. So it was necessary to make a second batch of icing to cover the sides. Not neccesarily a bad thing. đŸ˜‰
Warning: If you don’t have a serious sweet tooth, this is not the cake for you.
You might also like this Hummingbird Cake. Check it out in the video below!
Southern Caramel Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3/4 cup butter, (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Icing
- One box light brown sugar, (1-pound)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 7 tablespoons evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the cake. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.
- In a small saucepan, cook the butter and milk over low heat until the butter melts. Stir well and let cool to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light yellow and smooth.
- Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined.
- Add the cooled milk mixture and vanilla and stir well.
- Divide the batter between the two pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the middle.
- Place pans on a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on racks.
- Make icing. In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine the brown sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir well and turn heat down so mixture boils gently. Cook for 7 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Beat the icing with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken.
- Place bottom layer on a platter or cake stand. Working quickly before icing sets up, spread icing on top. Place second layer on top. Ice the top and sides. A knife dipped in hot water can help smooth the icing out.
Notes
I actually made more icing than the recipe calls for. My cakes were a little sunken in the middle once they cooled and I didn't have a sharp enough serrated knife to even the top of the cake out. Because of this, a lot of my icing pooled in the middle and I needed more.
If you think you need extra, add another 1 1/3 cups brown sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, and 3 1/2 tablespoons evaporated milk. Plus a little extra vanilla if you desire.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations
More Southern Cakes
Duke’s Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
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I make my friend this cake everyear for her birthday. She loves it, heck we all do. She is turning 65 this year . This is the only thing she ever asks for.
I have made this several times and it is delicious! I always get so many compliments from others. I taste like my grandmother made it.
Do you use cake flour or regular flour?
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
What makes the icing grainy?
Such a great recipe! Made it today for my family. I used an 2 8in pans instead and had some leftover batter. It was such a hit!
Thank you Christin. My great-grandmother (Atlanta, GA) used to make caramel cakes when I was a small child. She did not write down recipes. I have been trying to re-create her amazing caramel cake and this recipe came the closest to that goal. Thank you.
We love this cake it’s the best