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Southern Caramel Cake

This Southern specialty, is a delight to enjoy! This fluffy yellow cake with a caramel-flavored frosting will melt in your mouth. Sprinkle toasted pecans or walnuts on the top, if desired!
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: Cake, Caramel, Dessert, Penuche, Southern
Servings: 16

Ingredients

  • 3/4 c (12 T) butter, room temperature
  • 1-1/2 c granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperture
  • 2 t vanilla

Dry Ingredients

  • 1-3/4 c White Lily All-Purpose Flour-fluffed, spooned and leveled I've subbed King Arthur if unavailable
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1/8 t salt

Wet Ingredient:

  • 3/4 c buttermilk, room temperature I used 1% fat

Penuche (Caramel) Frosting:

On Heat:

  • 1/2 c butter (8 T-1 stick)
  • 2 c dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/2 c heavy cream

Off Heat:

  • 1 t vanilla
  • 2-1/2 c confectioner's sugar, sifted
  • 4 T butter, cut into 4-1 T sections

Instructions

Prep:

  • Have eggs, butter and buttermilk at room temperature BEFORE beginning process.
  • Measure out and whisk together the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Generously smear 2-8" cake pans with softened butter, then dust using 1 T flour per pan. Line the bottom of each with parchment paper.
  • Preheat oven to 325℉.

First Steps:

  • In stand mixer, beat butter and sugar at MED speed for about 3-5 minutes until light in color and fluffy; scrape down a couple of times.
  • Add room temperature eggs one at a time followed by vanilla. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl after every 2 egg additions.

Dry/Wet Additions:

  • On LOW speed, in small additions, gradually add in the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating and beginning and ending with flour.

Baking

  • Divide batter evenly between 2 prepared pans. Weigh, if possible, to ensure more even baking.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly golden and toothpick tested.
  • Place on cooling rack and run an offset spatula around the edges. Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Invert, peel off parchment paper and place back down on rack until completely cooled before icing.

Frosting:

  • Before starting frosting, have one of the cake layers on your cake plate ready for the frosting as soon as you finish it.

On Heat:

  • Stir butter, brown sugar and salt in a small saucepan over MED heat until butter is melted and blending with sugar. Continue to stir every few seconds until a ring of bubbles appears around the perimeter.
  • Whisk in the heavy cream and cook until bubbles again appear on the perimeter. Remove from heat.

Off Heat:

  • Whisk in vanilla and transfer hot frosting to a clean mixing bowl.
  • On LOW speed, gradually mix in the sifted confectioner's sugar. Increase speed to MED and beat until frosting appear a lighter brown and just warm...maybe 5 minutes.
  • Blend in 1 T of the butter at a time; beat until light and fluffy.
  • Take 3/4 cup of the frosting and spread it evenly onto the first cake layer with an offset spatula.
  • Place the second layer on top of first layer and quickly spread an additional 3/4 cup on the top. Garnish with toasted nuts, if desired.
    Spread remainder of frosting along the sides before it cools too much. You can use and offset spatula or a bench knife as described in post above.
  • Allow it to sit at room temperature. The outside of the frosting will harden a bit, but will remain soft next to the cake. YUM. I store it in a cake dome. It's beautiful to admire and delightful to eat!