This Caramel Cake recipe is perfect for that die hard caramel fan in your life. Homemade caramel sauce is used in the cake layers, frosting, and the drip!
I am obsessed with how pretty this Caramel Cake turned out. Not only the perfectly smooth cake combed sides, but the caramel drip that was just the right consistency to not drip all the way down and create a hot mess. It’s not often things work out smoothly over here, so I need to celebrate it when it happens!
Before we dive into the decorating of this pretty cake, let’s talk about how to make caramel, in case you’ve never done it before. Spoiler: it’s actually really easy! It just requires some attention to detail.
How to make Caramel
There are a number of different ways you can make caramel, but I’m going to tell you about my favourite way to do it. It requires very few ingredients and just a bit of patience. You’ll need the following.
Tools:
- med-large pot
- whisk
- pastry brush
Ingredients:
- granulated sugar
- water
- heavy cream (room temp)
- butter (room temp)
- salt (if making salted caramel)
Once you have your tools and ingredients ready, place the sugar and water into a pot and stir to combine, but do not stir from this point forward. Stirring will cause the sugar to crystallize, and we don’t want that!
Dip a pastry brush into water and brush down the sugar from the sides of the pot (also prevents crystallizing). Place the pot over med-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Occasionally brush down the sides of the pot with water to prevent crystals from forming.
Continue cooking the sugar until it starts to change color. This can take anywhere from 5-10mins depending on the amount of sugar, size of pot, temperature, etc. I recommend watching the sugar the entire time, as once it starts to color it can burn very quickly. I never take my eyes off the pot while it’s cooking. Okay maybe I do for the first couple minutes or so, but I watch it like a hawk after that.
When the sugar starts to caramelize and turn a bit yellow, you can swirl the pot a bit to mix it around. Continue cooking until the sugar is a nice amber color. It will start to smell AMAZING.
Immediately remove the pot from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream (pour slowly, whisk quickly). It will bubble up a LOT, so be prepared. Once all the cream is whisked in, add the butter and whisk until incorporated. Return to heat and simmer for 2mins.
At this point I remove the pot from the heat and set it aside to cool. You could transfer the caramel to a heatproof container and let it cool that way instead. I sometimes place plastic wrap directly on top to prevent a skin from forming, but it’s not critical. If you do this, be careful, as the caramel is hot. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
You can leave it at room temperature overnight or place it in the fridge if storing for longer. If you store it in the fridge, you may need to warm it up a bit in the microwave before using.
Be sure to check out my How to Make Caramel post for a detailed tutorial.
How do I turn this into a Salted Caramel Cake Recipe?
If you’ve gotten this far, it’s really so simple to turn your caramel sauce into salted caramel instead and make a Salted Caramel Cake. All you have to do is add a bit of salt once you’ve finished cooking it.
Add some salt, dip a spoon into the hot caramel, let it cool, taste, repeat as needed. That’s it! How much you add is completely up to you. I don’t like salted caramel (gasp) so I recommend starting with less (1/4 tsp) and adding as needed. Ideally use a good quality sea salt.
A salted caramel sauce will work perfectly well with this Caramel Cake recipe if that’s what you’d prefer.
Important things to note about making Caramel
- You’ll want to use a larger pot than you think you’ll need. The caramel bubbles a LOT when the cream is added. At least 4-5x the volume.
- Brushing down the sides of the pot is important to prevent your sugar from crystallizing — we don’t want a grainy caramel!
- Don’t take your eyes off the sugar. Once it starts to turn color it can burn very quickly.
- Do not attempt to make the caramel with cold cream or butter — they must be at room temperature (see below).
- The caramel will be HOT so handle with care. If you’re making a salted caramel, be sure to let it cool before tasting it! Dip a spoon into the hot caramel, let it cool, taste, add more salt as needed.
It is critical that your cream and butter are completely at room temperature. I’ve made this caramel many times before but I didn’t really pay attention too much to the temps this time. Read: I was too lazy to wait for them to come to room temperature properly and figured it would be fine (bad baker!). My cream was straight out of the fridge, so I nuked it in the microwave to warm it up, but my butter was still a bit cold.
I went with it anyhow, because I figured it gets heated anyway, right?? Well, the end result was a bit of a mess. The caramel looked like it had come together well, but upon cooling it completely split and separated and kinda curdled.
Caramel also does not react well to drastic changes in temperature, so it’s important that the cream and butter are added slowly and are room temperature. I’m sure it didn’t help things that I way overcooked it after I added everything in. Instead of simmering it, I basically boiled it on high for 2 minutes. It was a hot mess, and truly quite disgusting. I should have taken a picture!! Anyhow, I should have followed my own directions, but overconfidence and laziness got in the way and I ended up having to redo the whole thing.
I hope all that didn’t scare you away from making your own caramel sauce at home. It’s really very easy, it just requires a bit of focus and attention for 15mins or so. And actually following directions.
This caramel sauce is seriously SO good and so versatile. You could use it as a topping for other desserts or ice cream or pancakes… the list goes on! You’ll never look to get store bought caramel again after you try this.
How did you decorate this Caramel Cake?
Okay, let’s talk about the decorating of this cake, because I know people are just dying to know and it’s actually really simple. I used a cake comb on the sides. Specifically, I used the right side of the middle comb from this set.
After crumb coating the cake and chilling it for 20mins, I frosted it like any cake except that I used way more frosting on the sides than I normally would. I knew I’d be scraping some of that frosting off and I wanted to make sure there was enough to fill in the indents in the comb.
Once the cake was frosted and smoothed, I placed the cake comb up against the cake, pressed in a bit, and spun my turntable. I did this like I would if I was just smoothing it with a flat scraper. One long, smooth motion. I had to do this about 10 times or so to get rid of the bubbles and make sure everything looked perfect.
As always though, there is a back side to this cake that is less than pretty — specifically where the cake comb started/stopped. I couldn’t completely smooth out the little dent there. Maybe my frosting was a bit soft. If you have any tips on this I’m all ears, I am far from a cake combing expert!
If I were making this a Salted Caramel Cake, I would sprinkle some sea salt over the top of the decorated cake once the drips have set.
Tips for the Caramel Drip
A caramel drip is notoriously difficult to work with. It’s a different consistency than a ganache drip, and doesn’t set as quickly once it hits the cold cake. As such, you actually want it to be thicker than you think you need for the drip.
It’s important that the cake is super chilled too. I chilled mine overnight, but only because I was spacing out my baking. A good hour in the fridge should do. My caramel was a bit on the thicker side because I had that in the fridge as well, so I microwaved a small portion of it (1/4 cup or so) in very small increments (3-5 seconds), until I got something pourable but still thick — a lava-like consistency.
I did a test drip on the back of the cake to see how it looked. I actually thought it was still too thick at this point, but you need to be patient with caramel — it will keep dripping down. What I thought was too thick actually ended up being perfect.
Really, it just takes some practice to know what the right consistency is. Always use a chilled cake though, and make sure your caramel (or ganache) is not warm in any way.
I use a teaspoon to do my drip cakes, but you could use a squeeze bottle if you prefer. I like that I have more control with a teaspoon and can be a bit more heavy handed in areas. I prefer drips that are chunky and spaced randomly.
If you’re a fan of caramel (and who isn’t??) you are going to love this cake! That perfectly delicious caramel flavour shines throughout, and I love that you can actually taste it in the cake layers — I wasn’t sure this would come through, but it does!
This caramel sauce recipe and caramel Swiss meringue buttercream are some of my faves. You’ll want to be eating both with a spoon!!
Looking for more caramel desserts?
- Caramel Cookie Cups
- Caramel Apple Cake
- Maple Caramel Carrot Cake
- Turtles Layer Cake
- Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cake
Tips for making this Caramel Cake Recipe
- The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ cake pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so. The recipe will make 18-24 depending on size.
- For the caramel, it is critical that your cream and butter be at room temperature. Do not attempt to make it with cold cream or butter — it will separate when cooled.
- Be sure to check out my How to Make Caramel post for a detailed tutorial.
- If you prefer Dulce de Leche, you can use that instead in the cake and frosting — it won’t drip as well unless you thin it out somehow.
- For the texture on the sides of the cake, I used the right side of the middle cake comb from this set.
- Be sure your cake is well chilled and your caramel on the thicker side before you attempt the drip.
- I used dark brown sugar in my Swiss meringue buttercream because I wanted more of a caramel color to it. Granulated or light brown sugar will work just fine too.
- Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my Flat Top Cakes post!
Caramel Cake (Salted Caramel Cake)
Ingredients
Caramel (make in advance):
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 225 ml heavy cream room temperature
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 tsp sea salt optional, to taste, for salted caramel
Caramel Cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup caramel
- 1 cup milk room temperature
Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 2/3 cups dark brown sugar packed
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
- 1/2 cup caramel
- salt optional, to taste, for salted caramel
Instructions
Caramel (make in advance):
- Place sugar and water into a medium pot, stir to combine, but to not stir from this point forward. Cook over high heat, washing down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water as needed to prevent crystals.
- Cook until desired color of caramel is reached (amber) and immediately remove from heat. Very slowly pour in (room temperature) heavy cream while whisking quickly. The mixture will bubble up (a lot) and boil. Add (room temperature) butter, return to heat, and bring back to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes whisking constantly.
- If you want to make this a salted caramel, add your salt at this point. Whisk it in (start with less than you think you'll need), dip a spoon into the caramel, let it cool, taste it, add more salt as needed.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (about 2 hours). Transfer to a container and place in fridge to thicken.*
Caramel Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds, line with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine butter and sugar. Beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3 mins). Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla and caramel and mix until incorporated.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.**
- Place bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (about 3mins)
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whip on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
- Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
- Add cooled caramel and whip until smooth.*** Add additional salt if desired if making a salted caramel buttercream.
Assembly:
- Trim cake layers slightly. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 1-2 Tbsp cooled caramel. Spread evenly pressing into the cake layers so the cake absorbs the sauce. Top with 2/3 cup of frosting, spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers.
- Frost and smooth the outside with a thin crumb coat. Chill for 20mins.
- Frost and smooth the outside of the cake, generously frosting the sides specifically. Smooth with an icing smoother. Use a cake comb on the sides of the cake. Repeat, scraping off more frosting each time, until smooth.
- Using a small spoon, place dollops of caramel around the top edges of the cooled cake, allowing some to drip down.****
- Fill in the top of the cake with more caramel and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Pipe rosette dollops using a 1M tip with remainder of frosting.
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Notes
** Ensure there is NO trace of egg yolks in your whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk is completely grease free or your meringue won't stiffen.
*** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.
**** If caramel has thickened too much, microwave in 5-10 second intervals until it's pourable (but not warm). You want the caramel to be rather thick for the drips. It will continue to drip down.
Malikah says
Will this batter be enough for two 10 inch pans?
Olivia says
Hi Malikah! No, it will be enough for two 8″ pans. Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts
Suzanne says
Hi, I am making this recipe as we speak. Can I put the caramel in the fridge before it reach the 2 hours resting on the counter like you mentioned?
Olivia says
Hi Suzanne! Just make sure it’s cooled down before you refrigerate. Caramel can be finicky with drastic changes in temperature so I am always cautious.
Thavisha says
Hi! This looks amazing. I was wondering if I can make a 4 layer 6 inch cake with this amount of batter? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Thavisha! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts
You can use the recipe as is if you don’t mind thinner layers. You’ll need to reduce the baking time though.
Jamy says
Hi.. i’m just wondering if I can substitute butter with vegetable oil for the batter?
Olivia says
Hi Jamy! You can but it would affect the overall texture of the cake. I haven’t tried it myself so can’t say for sure what the result would be.
Nelly says
Hi Olivia
I have a set of 6″ by 0.75″ high pans which I used to make a rainbow layered cake for my daughter’s first birthday, would these be big enough height wise to make this cake? Or will it rise higher than that? Thank you 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Nelly! How many of those pans do you have? Each of the cake layers is about 2″ tall when baked in three 6″ pans.
Nelly says
Hi Olivia
They’re 0.75″ high so I am going to stick with the 8″ round tins I have an just made the 1.5 times. It’s for my husband’s birthday this weekend, I did a practice run after I sent you that question and the cake is delicious and going to be a huge hit. Thank you so much. X
Joleen Schanzenbach says
Yummy, Yummy, Yummy. So good! Someone thought I bought it somewhere!
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Joleen! So happy to hear that! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Fiza says
Hello love, how do I half the recipe if I only want to make the cake in one 8 inch cake pan?
Olivia says
Hi Fiza! Just adjust the Servings to 6 and it will give you the amounts for half 🙂
George says
I was thinking that you could put chocolate honeycomb shards on it ? I tried and looked amazing. Sensation recipe.
Olivia says
Thanks so much, George! That is a great idea! So glad you liked it 🙂
El says
Can I substitute the caramel sauce for butterscotch sauce?
Olivia says
Hi El! Yes, that should work fine.
Chantal says
Hi,
I made 2 layers of this cake and one layer of your vanilla cake for a three-layer 8 inch cake with the caramel SM buttercream. Once again, the whole family was delighted.
Your cake recipes are delicious !
Thank you for the great ideas.
Olivia says
Hi Chantal! That sounds amazing. I’m so happy everyone loved it! 🙂
Ambar says
Did you use the same amount of ingredients for 2 8’ cakes?
Olivia says
Hi Ambar! Yes, the same amount.
Maria says
Hi
This cake looks incredible! One question, can we use any caramel recipe to add to the batter or should it be the one you shared because of the butter and sugar quantities in the caramel.
Thank you for sharing
Olivia says
Hi Maria! You should be able to use any caramel you like for it. Let me know how it turns out!
Ghosayna says
Can this be made with 2 8inch tins ?
Olivia says
Hi Ghosayna! Yes, I mention this in the post.
Divaneya says
I love ur recipe. Tried it yesterday! May i know if I can substitute all purpose flour with cake flour please? The measurement? And I felt the cake was a little too sweet because maybe the cream was sweet and the caramel that too! Thanks again!
Olivia says
Hi Divaneya! You can try swapping the AP flour straight for cake flour. It is a very sweet cake though for sure!
Steph Gee says
Hi Olivia
Thank you for sharing.
I have a question, if I were to use 8inch cake (deep) tubs rather than sandwich tins,, essentially 2 layers is one cake tin, should the temperature by lowered and cooking time extebded?
Olivia says
Hi Steph! So I understand correctly, you want to bake all of the cake batter in one (very deep) 8″ round pan? I haven’t tried that so not sure it would work well, but you’d keep the temperature the same and extend the baking time (by a lot, likely).
Morgan Pippin says
Hey, I was wondering is the cake suppose to have a dense texture or am I doing something wrong?
Olivia says
Hi Morgan! This cake is definitely more on the dense side, but shouldn’t be too dense. Overly dense cakes can be from overmixing the cake batter once the flour is added — it develops too much gluten.
KY505 says
Can we use vegetable oil instead of the butter? And if yes then in what quantity?
Olivia says
Hi there! Using oil will change the texture of the cake. You can try to replace 1/2 or 1/4 of the butter with oil.
Tammie says
Hi Olivia (love your name. That’s my mom’s name 😉 ) I have a question. I would love to make your SMBC but the whisk to my mixer broke. Can you tell me if it’s possible to make it using a hand held mixer? I’ve made it before so I know how long it can take for it to cool down so the butter can be added but I just want to see if you or maybe a fellow baker here has ever done it and been successful. I would hate to lose all of those ingredients should it not be possible. Thanks for your time. Hope to hear back soon…
Olivia says
Hi Tammie! You can make it with a hand mixer, it will just take a long time. I talk about that more here: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/ 🙂
Viviana says
Hey! I love your page. Your recipes are delicious. I made this cake for my husbands birthday but used your dulce de leche buttercream recipe and added white chocolate ganache on top. It was sooo good. I would love to show you how it came out. I struggle with getting the buttercream smooth but will keep on practicing.
Olivia says
Hi Viviana! So happy to hear you loved this one. You can email me a photo – I would love to see it!
Becki Vieira says
In the notes you say to X1.5 for 3 8 inch cake layers. Would you adjust the cooking time or temperature for this?
Olivia says
Hi Becki! The temperature would stay the same. Baking time may be slightly less as the layers are a bit thinner but should be similar.
Marissa says
Hello!
I was wondering if I could make the cake layers the day before and then make the frosting and assembly it the following day? If so, how can I keep the cake layers overnight? Thank you! and hope you have a great day! 🙂
Marissa says
Also was wondering if I only want to make a two layered 6″ cake, how would i adjust the recipe? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Marissa! You would 2/3 the recipe or change the Servings to 8 to get the amounts.
Olivia says
Hi Marissa! So sorry for the delayed reply. You can wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge or on the counter. I would do fridge since I find chilled cake layers easier to work with.
Rebekah Giles says
For a 9″, 3-layer cake, I doubled the recipe, but left the caramel at 1/2 cup. I used a GF flour and it came out great. I did not double the caramel or the buttercream. My husband wanted buttercream between the layers instead of caramel and there was enough.
Olivia says
Hi Rebekah! Awesome, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Erin says
My son wanted a salted caramel cake for his birthday and we settled on this one; it did not disappoint! The frosting was rich and buttery, which is delicious in small doses. This was my first time making a SMBC. I followed the SMBC tutorial, wiped down everything with vinegar, and it came together beautifully. I used two 8 inch cake pans and they worked well, I just reduced the cooking times a bit. If you love butter and caramel. I definitely recommend giving this cake a try.
Olivia says
Hi Erin! Thanks so much for the amazing feedback and your tips. I’m so glad you loved it!
Janz says
I just made this salted caramel sauce and it’s the best one I’ve ever came across! Hope the cake is as good because that’s my next challenge.
Olivia says
Thanks so much Janz. I’m so happy you love it 🙂 Let me know how the cake turns out!
Janz says
The cake is finally done. My house smelled divine during baking and the finished product looks amazing. Can’t wait to taste it tomorrow.
Olivia says
Yay! I can’t wait to hear how it turned out!
Janz says
It was a nice cake. I baked it in 2×8” tins but didn’t change baking time so it was probably slightly overcooked. And I would leave 1/2 cup of caramel sauce aside without salt added next time because the cake itself tasted more savoury than sweet on its own (there is salt added to it and plus salted caramel).Still nice flavours though. Would definitely make it again. Specially the sauce. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Olivia says
So happy you liked it 🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
K says
Not sure the metic measurements work out very well. Cake was super flat and the cream was very thin. Not sure baking powder comes in liquid form like the recipe suggests! Perhaps I’ll try again using American measurements…
Olivia says
Hi K! Sorry to hear you had trouble with this one. Baking powder does not come in liquid form… The metric conversion tool is an automatic calculation and converts tsp to ml instead of grams. Do you mean the cakes were thin? Did you use 6″ pans? They should be 2″ tall. For the buttercream, see this post for tips and troubleshooting: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Cerys Thomas says
Hi there – Is there any way I could get a translation for the measurements on this? I don’t know how to work in cups but I don’t want to convert the measurements myself in case I mess it up, you might already know what the grams and kilograms are. Thanks so much!
Olivia says
Hi Cerys! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients.
Victoria says
My caramel is like tasting the sugar on day two. What i do wrong? On day one was good. What should i do? Can i boil it again or i will ruin it?
Olivia says
Hi Victoria! Do you mean that it’s grainy? Has it separated? You can try heating it all up again to emulsify. https://livforcake.com/caramel-sauce-recipe/
Dayna Tay says
Hi! Would like to make this for my bf’s birthday 2 weeks later. But would like to have a cake tasting this week. Any idea how to reduce the recipe to just a single layer of 6 inch caramel cake and caramel smbc just enough to frost 1 layer of 6inch cake (top and sides)? THANK YOU 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Dayna! You can 1/3 this recipe and try that. Change the Servings to 4 and that should give you the amounts. Let me know how it turns out!
Dayna Tay says
Hi Olivia! Thank you for the suggestion! I tried to make a single layer of this recipe & IT TURNED OUT SUPERB! Everything from the cake to the caramel to the SMBC were just very delicious! The cake was so moist & soft & buttery! As for the caramel, it turned out way too hard, but i troubleshoot by adding water & it turned out well. Also, for the SMBC, I used 1/2 cup white sugar. My family still thinks it’s abit too sweet. Any idea if i further reduce the sugar by half, will my SMBC still holds its shape?
Thank you!! Will be making the full sized cake next week!
Olivia says
Yay! So glad it worked out 😀 Strange that the caramel turned out too hard… was this at room temp or after refrigerating? You’ll need to warm it a bit if refrigerating. I would not reduce the sugar as the merignue will not turn out correctly. If you want a less sweet frosting, try one of these!
https://livforcake.com/ermine-frosting/
https://livforcake.com/german-buttercream/
Ellie says
Hi ,
I would love to know what piping nozzle you used for the piping on the top. Cake looks amazing , am going to try to make for my other halfs birthday.
Thanks x
Olivia says
Hi Ellie! It’s the 1M piping tip. I link to it in the Assembly section of the recipe. Let me know how you like it!
Tatyana says
What type of milk should I use for the cake batter? I’m assuming whole milk, but wanted to be sure.
Olivia says
Hi Tatyana! Whole milk is ideal for richness, but any milk works (or milk substitutes). I most often use 1% because it’s what I tend to have in my fridge.
G. says
Hi can I use buttermilk??
Olivia says
Hi G! Yes, that will change the flavour though and make the cake a bit more dense.
Nevaeh D. says
Hi can I use a 9 inch pan? And also what flour did you use to make this is pilsbury fine ?
Olivia says
Hi Navaeh! How many 9″ pans do you have? Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html You will need to 2/3 the recipe to use one 9″ pan. I used Robin Hood flour which we have here in Canada, but any all-purpose or cake flour will work fine.
Nevaeh D. says
I have 2, 9 inch pans so how many do I use?
Olivia says
I would change the Servings to 16 and use those amounts for two 9″ pans. Baking time might differ though.
Margaret says
Thank you for this cake! I’ve made it twice – and added the salt! We are a group of salted caramel fans! The cake is just delicious! And, last time I froze 1/4 of the cake. Took it out yesterday to thaw, and it’s just as wonderful as on day one.
Olivia says
Hi Margaret! Yay! So happy you loved it 🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
Anonymous says
Hey,
How much cups of batter does the cake make as I only have 8-inch pans and I want to make this cake tomorrow??
Oh and this looks amazing!! xD
Olivia says
Hi there! I’ve never measured the batter myself, but going by this site (http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html) it should be about 12? That being said, the recipe as is will work with two 8″ cake pans, or you can 1.5x it for three 8″ pans.
Susan J says
Made the caramel to put on a hummingbird cake. It is delicious. The directions were wonderful. I have previously failed at Carmel and number of times. I wish I’d kept it on a little longer but it’s still delicious. Is there a temperature to get the correct color.
Olivia says
Hi Susan! I’m so happy to hear the caramel worked out for you! I’m not entirely sure re: temperature as I always go by color. I did a quick google search and it says 245°F to 250°F, but I’m not entirely sure that’s correct.
Gigi says
Next time, I will add more caramel. It just doesn’t seem to have enough flavor for me.
Olivia says
Hi Gigi! Sorry to hear you didn’t love this one. I wouldn’t add more caramel to the cake batter as that will affect the texture and consistency. You can definitely add more caramel between the layers though and try adding a bit more to the buttercream as well.
Newby says
Hi, I’m going to make this cake over the next couple of days but just wanted to ask a quick question.
I only have 8inch cake tins but they are only thin, 1.5inches height wise max. I was going to time the recipes by 1.5 but would it be ok to put the mix into 4 8inch tins rather than 3? I’m worried they will overflow but I also don’t want to do it if it will not work. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Newby! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Kayla says
Hi there! I was going to make this cake and I’m really looking forward to it, but I was wondering if I could substitute milk for the heavy cream in the caramel recipe without it altering the cake or frosting? Or would that mess it up?
Olivia says
Hi Kayla! You need heavy cream for the caramel, I’m afraid. Or you can just use store-bought caramel instead 🙂
Mary says
Hi my daughter has asked for this cake for her birthday but as we are in lockdown plain flour is impossible to find. Can I make this recipe with self raising flour and skip the baking powder?
Olivia says
Hi Mary! You could definitely give that a try! It would be what I would recommend.
Sandra says
I’m not finished yet so haven’t tasted it…but my caramel turned out perfect! Great Directions! QUESTION: Can I assemble and ice the cake a day ahead?
Olivia says
Hi Sandra! Yay to a perfect caramel! 😀 And yes, for sure. Just store it in the fridge. Take it out 2-3 hours before serving so it can come to room temp.
Taylor says
looks amazing i want to try it soo badly… i do have just one question, can i use light brown sugar instead of dark? will it mess with the flavor?
Olivia says
Hi Taylor! You can totally use that, it will just change the color of the buttercream, but just very slightly.
Cakewalk says
Made this icing & caramel paired with cake base from Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Cake. Of course it was great.
Our caramel, with a touch of salt, was burnt a bit, imo it made the drip even better, sort of had a contrasting Flavor with the rest.
Olivia says
Hi Cakewalk! So happy you loved it 🙂
Hiya narang says
Hi Olivia! Thank you for the recipe.
I was wondering if sour cream can be used in this cake recipe to make the flavour more rich?
I had read online that sour cream has that effect on chocolate cakes but wasn’t sure about salted caramel cakes. Thanks xx
Olivia says
Hi Hiya! I haven’t tried adding sour cream to this particular recipe so I can’t say for sure. If you’re up for experimenting though, you can give it a try! 🙂
Amy says
Every part is phenomenal. Made exactly as written, but weighed my ingredients. Caramel is a tad on the butterscotch tasting side, but nothing wrong with that. Plenty of frosting for a 2-layer cake and some piping, which I appreciate. Absolutely worth the extra steps for the Swiss meringue buttercream, silky and just the right amount of sweet. The cake is just perfect. Definitely making many times over. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Amy! Thank you for the amazing feedback! I’m so happy you liked this recipe 🙂
Hannah says
Hi, I’m planning on making this cake as a sheet cake. What size pan would you recommend using and how long should I bake it? Thank you for the great recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Hannah! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
amelia004 says
the recipe is very useful
Olivia says
Thank you!
Rapture says
I tried this except I had store bought caramel. My cakes turned out dense, but I am almost certain the baking powder I used was too old. I am going to get some fresh powder and try again. Also will make the caramel next time.
I followed the frosting making exactly as described. Before adding the butter it was quite ‘stiff.’ It seemed to get a bit too runny after I incorporated the butter, but set up much better once chilled a little. I think after bringing it to 160°F that even after whipping for 10+ minutes it may still be a bit too warm.
Olivia says
Hi Rapture! The cakes will be more on the dense side, but should not be *too* dense. Be sure not to overmix the cake batter. Glad you were able to save the buttercream! 🙂
Clare says
HI there – just wondering if you use UK/Australia ‘cup’ measurements or the US ‘cup’ measurements. Can’t wait to make it! Thanks 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Clare! I’m in Canada, so probably the US ones. There is a metric option at the bottom of the list of ingredients if that’s what you prefer to use!
Larry says
Hi Liv! Whenever I search for a cake I have in mind, the best looking result is always from your site. After following your recipe, there’s never a doubt it was also the best tasting one too. I’ve made several of your cakes before, and yesterday I made this salted caramel cake for my New Year’s Eve gathering last night. As is true of your other cakes I’ve made, it didn’t disappoint and was a major hit with my guests. Your recipes are so clear and detailed, they’re easy to follow. One issue I did have though was with the caramel drips. My caramel was pourable when I attempted, but I had to coax drips with a spoon, with clunky results. I microwaved remaining caramel for 10 secs, which did the trick. I found a viscosity between maple syrup and honey worked best. Thanks for a great recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Larry! Thanks for the amazingly sweet comment. I’m so happy to hear you loved this one too 🙂
Jen says
Hi Liv!
I have two questions:
Would this cake taste good with cream cheese frosting? Also, can I use store bought caramel? If I can, what brand would you recommend?
Thanks,
Jen
Olivia says
Hi Jen! I think it would go great with CC frosting! Store bought caramel should be fine for the cake and frosting but may be too thin for the drip. I haven’t used any myself so it’s hard for me to recommend a specific brand, but I would try to buy the highest quality one that you can and one that is on the thicker side if possible.
Jen says
Would this caramel work? It’s the stuff that I usually use to dip apples into. It’s fairly thick.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Marzetti-Old-Fashioned-Caramel-Dip-16-0-oz/10308643
What about caramel sauce used on ice cream?
Olivia says
I would go with the thicker one 🙂
Luke Allen says
This was a really good recipe BUT be warned this is a skinny and tall cake, and also you really do have to make the salted caramel before hand.
Olivia says
Hi Luke! If you prefer you can bake the cake in two 8″ pans for a more standard size.
Trisha says
QUESTION:
How far in advance can you make the caramel? I saw that you said “the day before” but can I stretch that out?
Olivia says
Hi Trisha! The caramel can be refrigerated for two weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.
Olivia says
Hello! I was curious if the paddle attachment makes a difference with the frosting? I make frosting all the time and only use my wisk attachment. Do I need to use the paddle? Or will the wisk suffice?
Olivia says
Hi Olivia! For this kind of buttercream, I prefer switching to a paddle because the whisk can incorporate too much air. You can get away with using the whisk though if that’s all you have!
Olivia Eilola says
Great, Thank you!
Melissa Doyle says
I’m going to attempt this cake this week for my daughters engagement party!!! Also it has to be GF which that is under control.
Maybe I’m just not looking properly but what size cake pans did you use? I have found the info on the 8″ pans!
Olivia says
Hi Melissa! I used three 6″ pans but the recipe works for two 8″ pans as well. Let me know how you like it 🙂
melissa doyle says
thanks for that and i will let you know 🙂
Grace says
Hi there, I’m planning to make this cake for a hens do on friday night. I am leaving early Friday morning for a 7 hour drive
My plan was to make cakes Wednesday night along with caramel then decorate Thursday night . I was wondering weather the caramel will be okay over night plus drive in chilly bin or weather I would be better doing last minute decorations at destination . I was just worried about caramel as you mentioned it was okay in fridge over night how will it be after two nights? Thankyou
Olivia says
Hi Grace! That is a long drive with the cake! Are you able to freeze it overnight (Thurs-Friday)? That would help ensure it stayed more stable (but also still put it in the chilly bin). The caramel once set in the fridge gets decently firm, but then it softens again as it comes to room temp. If you can freeze the whole thing I think you’d be ok. Caramel lasts for a good couple weeks in the fridge by the way.
Es says
Will this be good as cupcakes as well and how many cupcakes would this make
Olivia says
Hi Es! Yes, it would work great as cupcakes! It should make 18-24 depending on size.
Danielle Cheffings says
Have made this a few times and it’s it amazing! Tastes just like our wedding cake did 🙂 I’m planning on making it for a birthday this weekend and covering in fondant but with the 6 inch tins it would be too small for the amount of people but I only have 1x 8inch cake tin. Could I do 1.5 quantities but all in one? Thanks! Danni xx
Olivia says
Hi Danielle! So happy you love his one 🙂 This cake recipe as-is works for two 8″ cake pans. I’d recommend getting another couple 8″ cake pans and then doing 1.5x the recipe for three 8″ pans.
Danielle says
Thank you for your quick response 😊 I was going to pick up some 8 inch sandwich pans the other day but they weren’t overly deep – only about 2/3cm – so I didn’t get them as I was worried they’d overflow. Do you think they’d be OK for this recipe? Really looking forward to making again 😍 x
Olivia says
Hi Danielle! You’d need pans that are at least 2″ (about 5cm) tall or the batter will overflow. Mine bake right to the top of my 2″ pans. In the 8″ pans they will be slightly shorter, but not 2/3cm short.
Linda says
I am a new baker. And my cakes never rise. I made your Carmel cake and it didn’t rise either. Any ideas what I am doing wrong? I make great frosting and Carmel but cakes still iilude me
Olivia says
Hi Linda! Have you checked to make sure your baking powder is fresh and not expired? The cakes should rise to be almost 2″ tall. Other than baking powder make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature and don’t overmix the cake batter once you add in the flour.
Linda says
Thank u Olivia. I think I will buy new baking soda and powder. Good advise. Making the chocolate cake right now so will see how it goes
christian says
awesome
Olivia says
Thank you!
Terri Budde says
Hi! I want to make this cake for a friend. I have been baking for a short bit and have a few questions. First, would cake flour be better than AP flour? Can you give me weights instead of cups as that is how I have been baking and lastly, do I store in fridge or at room temp. Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Terri! Cake flour would make for a slightly less dense cake, so you can certainly use that. There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients to get the weights of everything. You can store at room temp for a day or two but otherwise refrigerate.
Lorrie says
Hi,
I made the caramel for the first time and it came out perfect! My question is what do you use to grease the pans
Olivia says
Hi Lorrie! So happy to hear that. These days I use Pam for Baking and line the pans with parchment. Homemade Cake Release works amazingly well too! https://livforcake.com/homemade-cake-release/
Caitlyn Bedard says
I made this for a birthday, and it was a huge success. Thank you! The instructions were very clear and all your tips were so helpful. This was my first time making a swiss meringue buttercream, and so many people raved about it I think it will be my new go-to. 🥳
Olivia says
Hi Caitlyn! Yay for a successful first time SMBC! So happy you loved it 🙂
BOZENA IWUAMADI says
I am attempting to make this cake today. Should the caramel in a cake recipy and for the buttercream be room temperature?
Olivia says
Hi Bozena! Yes, they should be room temperature. I hope you like it!
Bozena Iwuamadi says
I think the metric conversion of caramel is wrong. 35g of caramel is certainly not 1/2 cup
Olivia says
The metric conversions are calculated automatically and I don’t verify the accuracy of the numbers. Thank you for calling that out! It should be about 150g or so, I’ll update the recipe.
Tori says
Hello!
Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour?
Olivia says
Hi Tori! I haven’t myself but as long as you use a proper all-purpose GF flour blend it should work. Cup4Cup comes highly recommended: https://amzn.to/2n9c5bQ
Laura Ashley says
Howdy! I’m considering making this recipe but I am a beginner baker in that while I have used many boxed mixes, I only recently began baking cakes from scratch. Consequently, I am intimidated by Swiss meringue. Can I use pasteurized egg whites in a carton and skip the part where they are brought up to 160 degrees? I’m afraid that I’m just going to make scrambled egg whites. I should add that I’m very visually impaired so watching the pot is not a good way to judge things. Thank you so much for the recipe
Olivia says
Hi Laura! Swiss meringue is really easy, I promise! Just be sure to read all my tips and troubleshooting here before trying it out: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/ I have not had success with carton whites myself — I can never get the meringue to whip up properly. If you try those then be sure to get ones that say Egg White only (to ensure no trace of yolks), those might work better but I can’t guarantee it. It’s really hard to overcook the whites since they’re sitting on a water bath. This step is important to melt the sugar or else you’ll have a grainy buttercream. I just do the touch test — whisk the whites and sugar for 3-5 mins over the pot and dip a finger in to see if the mixture is hot and no longer grainy. Let me know if you try it!!
Amy says
Morning,
I have just made and decorated this cake for tomorrow (I haven’t put the drip on yet) if I was to do this now and put in the fridge will the caramel start to go runny and ruin my cake for tomorrow?
Olivia says
Hi Amy! It should be totally fine in the fridge and won’t ruin the drip. Be sure your cake is very cold and your caramel very thick before you do the drip. I always do a test drip on the “back” first.
Diksha says
I made this cake last week with a few adjustments and it turned out amazing.
Olivia says
Hi Diksha! So glad you liked it 🙂
Jenne says
I’m considering doing this vanilla caramel cake and your pumpkin cake and swirling the batters…using the latte Swiss butter cream. Have you tried that, just wondering if the consistencies of the baked batters will work together.
Olivia says
Hi Jenne! I haven’t tried that myself. The pumpkin cake batter is slightly thicker, if I recall correctly, but you could give it a go. I don’t think it would be disastrous at any rate!
Monique says
I made this for my daughter’s 15th birthday today. OMG it is so delicious! Overall it was quite easy. I changed it to look like a caramel waterfall, with a larger bottom tier where the caramel sauce pooled. I have tried a few different caramel sauces and this one is the best I have ever tasted.
Olivia says
Hi Monique! I’m so glad you love this caramel sauce as much as I do. Your cake sounds amazing, I would love to see a pic!
Georgie says
This cake looks amazing! I am making my brother his birthday cake and we are having a huge party. Was wondering what recipe is best to use! Your vanilla birthday cake recipe, covered in caramel buttercream, the caramel sauce and salted popcorn or do this recipe of the salted caramel cake?
Olivia says
Hi Georgie! Either sounds delicious and I don’t think you can go wrong! Which do you think your brother would like better?
Dani says
Hi. I’m attempting this cake for my daughters birthday tomorrow. I don’t have a mixer with a paddle attachment just a reg old hand mixer. Will this be ok for the frosting?
Olivia says
Hi Dani! Truthfully, it is doable, but will require time & patience. It will just take a whole lot longer to whip and cool the meringue and then whip again once the butter is added. Be sure to review this post for tips in advance: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Dani says
Thank you for your quick response. I failed twice at the frosting with the hand mixer. I was about to give up altogether and make a reg buttercream frosting but I called my neighbor and borrowed her hand mixer and tried one more time! So happy I did. It turned out delicious. I also had trouble with the caramel sauce, to me it also tasted a bit buttery and was too light in color. I prob didn’t cook it long enough. I kept it as the caramel for inside the cake and for the frosting & made my usual caramel recipe for the top. Which is just melting the sugar directly no water and half the butter. Anyway, I used that for the drip. The cake was delicious! It took me a whole day but everyone loved it. And my little girl who loves all things salted caramel was very happy! Thanks so much.
Olivia says
So happy to hear it turned out for you in the end and that you loved it!! 🙂
Bria says
I just made this and it is absolutely delicious!! My only issue was the buttercream was very light and fluffy, not very stable. The piped icing on top actually slid towards the edges (mind you my cake was probably not perfectly exact levelled) but I would suggest cooling the cake once the caramel drips and top is done and then pipe the icing onto the top edges. Other than that I topped with caramel pop corn in the center and it is amazing!! Can’t wait to see what everyone thinks at the party tonight! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Bria! I agree re: letting the caramel set for a bit before adding the rosettes on top — I thought I had mentioned that so I’ll update the post. Love the addition of the caramel popcorn! I hope everyone loved it 🙂
Melanie says
Is it absolutely necessary to let the caramel sit for 2 hours?
Olivia says
Hi Melanie! For the cake and frosting, no, but you need to make sure it is completely cooled for both (to room temp). I found that to take a while. You can try to speed that up in the fridge, but I haven’t tried myself. For the drip it will need more time to thicken.
Viviana says
Hey! I love your page! I made the caramel yesterday and it came out a perfect consistency. The only thing I wanted to ask you is that it came out with too much of a butter flavor and I made the recipe as you posted it. Is there any way I can fix this? I’m making the buttercream and the cake today ❤️ Thanks I’m advance 🙏🏻
Olivia says
Hi Viviana! Was this just the cake layers themselves or the whole thing? I didn’t find it to taste buttery myself, but there is a LOT of butter in it.
Viviana says
Thank you for taking the time to answer 🙏🏻 The caramel is what I think tastes too much like butter and not like caramel. I used land o lakes butter unsalted.
Valerie Fallows says
Hi
I’m thinking of making this for my daughter’s wedding. Few questions, I hope that’s ok:
Can I freeze the cake ?
Once decorated how long should it last ie still be fresh
Any tips on storage ?
Thanks – it looks amazing
Olivia says
Hi Valerie! You should be able to freeze it just fine. In the fridge it will last 2-3 days, any longer and it will start to dry out.
Cindy Hardin says
Curious why is the amount of cream in m sauce measured by ml everything else in recipe is cups threw me off just a bit but I’m still going to try it
Olivia says
Hi Cindy! It’s not easy to convert 225ml to cups and since most cups have ml measurements on them I thought it would be more accurate. Let me know how it turns out!
Jennifer Millican says
I’ve tried to make the frosting twice and it comes out like soup. I followed the directions to the T. What am I doing wrong?!
Olivia says
Hi Jennifer! Have you read through all of my tips and troubleshooting here? https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Brasta says
Hi, I just did your mint chocolate cake and it was amazing! I bought 6in cake pans for it and they looked a lot smaller than what I thought! Does your picture have a six inch round cake? It looks a lot bigger! It looks like it fills your cake stand.
Olivia says
Hi Brasta! Yes, I used 6″ rounds that were 2″ tall. The cake sand is only 8″ or so wide 🙂
Arwa says
Hi
The cake looks awesome!!! One question will the dark brown sugar melt easily with the eggs whites just like when mixing it with castor sugar?
Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Arwa! I don’t have a problem getting mine to melt, but it might take a little bit longer. My brown sugar is still fairly fine though, not large crystals.
Candace says
The caramel that is made is it enough to put into the cake, icing, and drip on the cake?
Olivia says
Hi Candace! Yes, it’s enough for all components.
Stacie Ives says
Hi, my daughter is entering a competition and wants to do a salted caramel drip, if she was to decorate the cake with the drip, fridge overnight, would it travel ok?
Olivia says
Hi Stacie! Yes, that should be fine — the cake sets quite firm in the fridge!
Ellison says
I would like to incorporate a bit of booze to the cake. Specifically caramel whiskey. Any suggestions on liquid portions?
Side note: I did add Pecan Bourbon to your maple cake and it was awesome!
Olivia says
Hi Ellison! I would just add a couple Tbsp of whiskey to the caramel at the very end. Add a bit more to taste if you like. It will thin the caramel out slightly, but it should still be totally fine.
Omolola says
I tried the caramel and it was a huge success after many failed attempts. Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Omolola! So happy to hear you liked it!
Salma says
Made this, and it was great- thank you for sharing the recipe!
I have two questions, though.
1. I made the buttercream as stated, but added a quarter cup more of the caramel sauce to up the flavour. It ended up slightly curdled. It’s super hot and humid here, BTW. Do you think either of those factors might have contributed to its splitting?
2. Is there any specific reason you added as much butter to the caramel sauce? Most caramel sauce recipes have far less butter. I’m asking as I was wondering if I could get away with a typical sauce (about a cup of sugar, a cup of cream and a tablespoon or so of butter) whenever I next make this cake.
Olivia says
Hi Salma! 1. Yes, adding too much of it could have contributed there — it could throw off the balance of meringue to butter, to caramel. 2. It’s just how I learned to make it in pastry school. I love it so I haven’t bothered to stray from it!
Salma says
Thank you for replying. I have to make two birthday cakes soon, and after my overall excellent experience with your salted caramel cake, have been drooling over your fabulous collection, wondering which to make next. Will get back once I’m done.
Olivia says
I can’t wait to hear! 🙂
Dee Rhoded says
Wow; another beautiful, mouth watering cake! BUT, I want you to know that, I knowwww, the “accident”, with the first batch of caramel, was no accident! (Ugly caramel is still yummy delicious; clever girl, you😁)
I’m trying to decide between this one, and your Turtles Layer Cake to make for our sons girlfriends birthday…sooo many hard decisions!
Also, your pastry brush, which kind do you prefer: the rubber plastic kind or true brush? I like the way the bristled brush paints better, that the rubber one, but sometimes will leave a bristle or two!! What kind do you use?
Thanks for all of your hard work, great details and insight, and step by step instructions for us novice bakers!
Dee
Olivia says
Hi Dee! Thanks so much! Tough call between this one and the Turtles! Both SO delicious. My pastry brush looks like this: https://amzn.to/2U9AuZq I find that it works better than the plastic ones and only rarely have stray bristles 🙂
Michelle says
Can you make the cake in advance and freeze as long as it’s brought to room temp before using? Also how far in advance can you make the buttercream? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! Yes, that will work fine. The buttercream you can make weeks in advance. This post has details on how to do that: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Nicole says
Another amazing recipe only ones to use
Olivia says
Thanks so much Nicole!!
Foodiewife says
This cake, like all of yours, is perfection. I absolutely adore caramel. Your instructions are clear and really helped me to visualize how to make this. I just upgraded my cheap cake turntable to one that is a pedestal and spins like a top. I can’t wait to practice your decorative sides of the cake. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Olivia says
Ahh thanks so much! I can’t wait to hear about (and hopefully see??) your version of this cake 🙂