One day I was flipping through one of my favorite Food Network shows, when my mouth started to water with all the scrumptious desserts they were showing. It wasn’t until they featured this Southern Caramel Cake that I craved it. I just couldn’t wait for the next day to go the grocery store to pick up the ingredients needed for this dessert, but I can tell you it was worth the wait. Once I took my first bite, there were no words to describe how good it was. How about you? Have you ever had a food craving like mine? Maybe now you understand why people say certain foods “take them back.”
Southern caramel cake is one of those desserts that will make your mouth water at the very thought of it. With only four ingredients, this Southern caramel cake couldn’t be any easier to make. And don’t let the few ingredients fool you; this southern caramel cake tastes like it came from a five-star restaurant.
How to Prepare Southern Caramel Cake
Preparing a Southern Caramel Cake requires a bit of love, patience, and attention to detail. This cake is more than just a dessert; it’s a labor of love. It combines a soft and moist cake with a lusciously rich caramel frosting that melts in your mouth. If you’ve never had a real Southern Caramel Cake, then you’re in for a treat!
Ingredients:
- Cake:
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided into 16 pieces
Frosting:
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided into pieces
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
For the Cake:
Adjust your oven’s middle rack and preheat to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt using an electric mixer on low.
Add butter pieces, mixing until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Pour in half the buttermilk mixture, beating on medium-high until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Blend in the remaining buttermilk mixture for about 15 seconds.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.
Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely, about 1 hour.
For the Frosting:
Melt 8 tablespoons butter with brown sugar and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge, about 4-8 minutes. Stir in cream and continue to heat until bubbles reappear, about 1 minute. Off the heat, whisk in vanilla.
Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl. Gradually mix in confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat until frosting is pale brown and just warm, about 5 minutes.
Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter, one piece at a time, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Place one cake layer on a platter, spread with 3/4 cup of frosting, then top with the second cake round.
Spread remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure your ingredients, especially eggs and buttermilk, are at room temperature before you start. This ensures an even texture for the cake.
- Be patient while making the caramel frosting. It’s crucial to cook it until it’s just the right consistency; otherwise, it will not set properly on the cake.
- If the frosting gets too thick, you can add a splash of cream to thin it out.
FAQ:
What’s the best way to ensure the cake layers bake evenly?
To ensure even baking, make sure your oven is properly calibrated and preheated before you put the cake pans in. Use an oven thermometer to verify the temperature. Additionally, position the cake pans on the same oven rack in the middle of the oven to promote uniform heat distribution. Rotating the pans halfway through the baking time can also help if your oven has hot spots.
Can I make this cake in advance? How should I store it?
Yes, the Southern Caramel Cake can be made in advance. Each component can be prepared ahead of time. Bake the cake layers, allow them to cool completely, and wrap them in plastic wrap. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month. The frosting can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Before assembling, let the frosting come to room temperature and beat it again until fluffy. Once assembled, the cake should be stored in the refrigerator and is best consumed within 3 days.
What substitutions can I make if I don’t have buttermilk?
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make a substitute at home. For each cup of buttermilk needed, place 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 cup. Stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes. For this recipe, you would use 1/2 tablespoon of acid and enough milk to reach 1/2 cup total.
Why do you need to add the butter in pieces for the cake and frosting?
Adding butter in pieces to both the cake batter and the frosting allows for better integration of fat into the mix, which results in a smoother texture. For the cake, it helps create a tender crumb by evenly distributing the butter. For the frosting, it ensures that the mixture achieves the right consistency and fluffiness as the butter emulsifies into the warm sugar mixture, creating a smooth, creamy frosting.
Can I use a different type of pan for this cake?
While the recipe calls for two 9-inch round cake pans, you can use different pans, but you will need to adjust the baking time accordingly. For example, if using 8-inch round pans, the cakes will be thicker and may need a few more minutes to bake. A 13×9-inch pan can also be used for a sheet cake version, but the baking time should be increased by 5-10 minutes. Always check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake; it should come out clean when the cake is done.
Southern Caramel Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups 11/4 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 c ups (10 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 16 tbsp 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces and softened
Frosting
- 12 TB 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
- 2 cups packed 14 ounces dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups 10 ounces confectioners sugar, sifted
Instructions
For The Cake:
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9- inch round cake pans.
- Whisk the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a large measuring cup. In a large bowl, mix the flour granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat in the butter, 1 piece at a time, until only pea-size pieces remain. Pour in half of the buttermilk mixture and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Slowly add the remaining buttermilk, mixture to the bowl and beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
- Scrape equal amounts of batter into the prepared pans and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. cool the cake in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks. Let cool completely, at least 1 hour.
For The Frosting:
- Heat 8 TB of the butter, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles appear around the perimeter of the pan, 4 to 8 minutes. whisk in the cream and cook until a ring of bubbles reappears, about 1 minute. Off the heat, whisk in the vanilla. Transfer the hot frosting mixture to a bowl and, with an electric mixer on low speed, gradually mix in the confectioners sugar until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is pale brown and just warm, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 4 TB butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
To Assemble:
- Place 1 cake round on a platter. spread 3/4 cup of the frosting over the cake, then top with the second
- cake round. spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Serve.
