Salted Caramel Cake

Name: Salted Caramel Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 140 g granulated sugar; 1 1/2 tbsp water; 40 g butter; 150 g heavy cream; big pinch of salt; 340 g all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 3/4 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp baking soda; 3/4 tsp salt; 180 g butter (room temperature); 300 g granulated sugar; 4 large eggs (room temperature); 240 g sour cream 14-18% (room temperature); 60 g vegetable oil (e.g. canola oil); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 400 g butter (room temperature); 660 g powdered sugar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2-3 tbsp caramel

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The most delicious Salted Caramel Cake! It has delicious layers of moist vanilla cake layered together with homemade salted caramel and a smooth salted caramel buttercream that will send you straight to dessert paradise. This cake is filled with salted caramel and is a stunning showstopper of a cake.

This salted caramel cake recipe is for any caramel fans! This cake has incredibly soft and moist vanilla cake layers, layered together with caramel buttercream and homemade salted caramel. This cake is full of caramel flavor and taste like a dream. This delicious salted caramel cake is perfect to serve as a birthday cake, for friends and family or bring to any party.

For more chocolate cake recipes, try Nutella Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Chocolate Ganache Cake.

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
INGREDIENT NOTES
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CARAMEL AND CAKE LAYERS
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CARAMEL FROSTING AND ASSEMBLING
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
FAQ
HOW TO STORE
Salted Caramel Cake

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Showstopper: This cake is simple in design, but a showstopper of a cake.
Vanilla Cake: It has the most soft and moist vanilla cake layer.
Salted Caramel: The caramel is used in the buttercream and in between the layers.

INGREDIENT NOTES

These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cake. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
Granulated sugar: The sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the cake and is as well used for the caramel.
Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the cake, so it has light and fluffy texture.
Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the cake.
Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
Sour cream: Sour cream gives lots of moister to the cake, as well as helps give the cake a great structure.
Butter: The butter is used for the buttercream. Bring it out and let it come to room temperature.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CARAMEL AND CAKE LAYERS

Here is how to make and bake these Salted Caramel Cake. This recipe needs a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. You will need 3 x 20 cm baking pan lined with baking paper.

The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.

Before starting, preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven. Prepare the 3 x 20 cm baking pan lined with baking paper.

STEP 1: In a medium saucepan, add the granulated sugar and water and stir it together so all of the sugar is wet. Melt it over medium/high heat until golden brown.

STEP 2: When the caramel is golden brown, reduce the heat to medium heat and stir in the butter. Then add the heavy cream, a little at a time, stirring in each addition until incorporated. It will bubble up strongly so be careful of your fingers. Stir constantly until it has gathered.

STEP 3: Turn off the heat and add a pinch of salt. Transfer it to a shallow bowl, and let it cool down in the fridge.

STEP 4: Sift together the dry ingredients and set it aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a electric hand mixer add the granulated sugar and butter and mix it together on high speed for 3 minutes.

STEP 5: Add the eggs two at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined. Continue by adding half the dry ingredients, on low speed, mixing until just combined.

STEP 6: Then add the sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

STEP 7: Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CARAMEL FROSTING AND ASSEMBLING

STEP 1: Mix the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer for 4 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 2 minutes.

STEP 2: Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extra and caramel in 2 parts. Whipping until each addition is fully incorporated.

STEP 3: Place the first cake layer on your serving dish. Add 2 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add 2-3 tablespoons of caramel and even it out. Leave the outer edge of the cake free so the caramel doesn’t spill out.

STEP 4: Repeat the process for the next cake layer. Add the last cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat. Place it in the fridge for 20 minutes, so it’s easier to cover the whole cake in the remaining buttercream.

STEP 5: Add the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Finally, add as much of the remaining caramel on top of the cake as you’d like. You can sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top, if you like for decoration.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.

FAQ

Can I replace the sour cream with something else?

Yes, replace it 1:1 with full-fat Greek yogurt.

Can it be made a day ahead?

Yes, you can make the caramel, cake layers and the frosting the day before, so you only need to assemble it the next day. Store the cake layers on the kitchen counter wrapped in plastic wrap, out of direct sunlight. Make the caramel and buttercream and cover it tightly with plastic wrap so it touches each the surface of the caramel and buttercream or in an airtight container, and let it sit in the fridge. Take the buttercream out of the fridge 30-45 minutes before assembling to come to room temperature. Give the buttercream a good mix and assemble it as instructed in the recipe card.

When do you know when a cake layer is done?

I recommend using a cake tester or toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.

HOW TO STORE

Store the salted caramel cake in the fridge in an airtight container. When wanting to eat it, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. It's best enjoyed within a few days.

Other Layer Cake Recipes To Try

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