I made a semi caramel cake a few months ago, and although a lot of you loved it some of you requested that I made a completely homemade cake. Well sweeties pies, your requests have been answered!
For best results I suggest sticking to the recipe and steps given. The frosting can be a tad bit complicated, but practice makes perfect. If you’re going to make this cake for a special occasion, I suggest doing a test run or two before!
Homemade Southern Caramel Cake
This dessert cake is a southern treat! The homemade caramel frosting is the perfect touch of sweetness.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 8 oz sour cream
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Caramel Frosting
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup salted butter
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven on 350 F.
- In a large bowl add 1 cup vegetable oil, and 2 1/2 cup of granulates sugar. Cream the ingredients until well combined.
- Next start adding in the eggs, but only one at a time. Mix until everything is nice and smooth, then set the bowl to the side.
- In a separate bowl add 2/3 cup buttermilk, and 8 ounces of sour cream. Mix until well combined.
- In a third bowl add 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Sift the ingredients together.
- Next we're going to start alternatively adding the dry ingredients, and the buttermilk mixture to the wet mixture ( the butter, oil, sugar, and eggs) . If using a handheld mixture, make sure that it is set on a low speed.
- Once everything is in the bowl, add 2 tsp of vanilla extract, and fold it in.
- Grease and flour two round 9 inch cake pans, then pour in the cake batter.
- Bake each cake for 25-30 minutes.
- Once the cakes are done, remove them from the oven, and remove the cakes from the pans.
- Let the cakes cook on a cooling rack until they are room temperature.
Caramel Frosting
- Pour 1/4 cup granulated sugar into a large deep sauce pan or pot, then place it over medium heat.
- Let the sugar melt, and turn brown.
- Meanwhile In a separate pot combine 2 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, and 2 tbsp all purpose flour. Mix, and bring to a boil.
- Add a couple of tbsp of the cream mixture to the melted sugar mixture, and stir.
- Next, add the browned sugar to the cream mixture, and stir in. Let it cook for about 10- 15 minutes.
- Next, add in the butter, and stir until it is all melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the caramel into a stand mixer bowl OR a heat resistant bowl. Mix for 20 minutes on medium speed, then let sit for about 15 minutes.
- Place 1/2 of the caramel into a freezer safe bowl, then cover, and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- With the other 1/2 of caramel, pour some of it on top of of one of the cakes. Top the second cake on top of the caramel. Beware that the caramel will be really slippery, so don't over do the caramel filling.
- Use the remaining caramel to lightly glaze the sides and top of the cake.
- Remove from the rest of the caramel from the freezer, and stir.
- Frost the cake!
Video
Check out the video
The cakes looks so delightfully moist and decadent!! Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the recipe, Rosie.!!
Hi Rosie, getting ready to try this recipe but have one question. How much buttermilk? Your ingredients states 1/2 cup and the directions states 2/3 cups. Please advise, just trying to use precise measurements.
It’s 2/3 cup. Thanks for catching that.
I thank you for the video, it really helped to understand how to make the carmel icing. I can not wait to make this cake. It looks so good.
OMG!!!!♡♡♡
Thanks for the recipes. I plan to make this for Easter, would love to see a print link on you recipes. This way they are clipped and ready to go and easily saved.
Thank you the cake is awesome
Thank you for trying my recipe!
Thumbs up on the caramel cake, I’m making it tonight for desserts, looking forward to that first bite!
I just made this cake and it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Thank you for this new gem to my recipe box. 😀
Thank you for giving the recipe a try!
Hi Rosie, I tried to make the caramel frosting. I followed the recipe to the T and when I went to add the caramel to my stand mixer to beat for 20 minutes, it became super stiff within a couple minutes, and it was too stiff to spread on the cake. What did I do wrong? Thanks for the help! 🙂
P.S. the yellow cake was really moist and yummy
I’m really not sure what went wrong. Perhaps you can try my newer Caramel Cake Recipe. It’s a tad bit easier than this one.
I have been looking for a recipe like this one. I can’t wait to try. Will let you know the results. You made it look so easy.
Enjoy! XOXO
i really admire u alot! your the best!
Thank you!!!! XOXO
I have been looking for a good caramel frosting recipe that was not too complicated for a while now. I compared this recipe to others and decided to try this one. It came out wonderful!! My search is over, this reminds me of the caramel cakes I had as a child. Thank you for sharing!!
I’m so glad that you liked it Lawanda!
Made this caramel Icing and it was gritty, what did I do wrong? Please Help
you didn’t cook it long enough
My cake took longer than 30 minutes. It was still completely uncooked in the center. I left it in for another 10 minutes but feared it would dry out. Could it be something i did wrong or possibly my oven is not cooking evenly…
Absolutely. Some ovens run hotter or cooler than others.
I was just wondering if I could add a little powdered sugar at the end to just make it easier to pipe with , do u think that would be a bad idea
I never tried that, so I can’t give you any advice on that. Sorry 🙁
“Practice makes perfect!” You are sooo right! I went through a whole bag of sugar, many sticks of butter, and a whole lot of cream trying to make the frosting. Lol! I finally got it and my family loved it! Thanks so much for your awesome recipes!!!
LOL!! That’s how I was when I first made this cake. It takes a little time! XOXO
Hi Rosie, getting ready to try this recipe but have one question. How much buttermilk? Your ingredients states 1/2 cup and the directions states 2/3 cups. Please advise, just trying to use precise measurements.
Oh my goodness! I have been making homemade cakes for the last year and honestly, this is the first time EVER my cake has turned out as the recipe described. Young lady , you are a genius in the cake world.
I just want to say , “thank you” , for the spectacular cake recipe.
When I tasted the caramel icing for the first time, I knew this cake was a “keeper”! My partner is a hard critic when it comes to desserts and the first thing he said was , your caramel icing was the BEST that he has ever had in years! The cake is so very moist . Hmmm…Hmmm… Hmmm good! I almost began to cry when I took the first bite. The caramel icing is smooth as silk. It rivals with some the BEST commercially marketed high-end caramels out there.
This is NOW our favorite cake recipe! Kudos, to you! You will be my “go to” website from here on out!
Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I also made smothered porkchops , today as well. This too was a home run!
I promise to share this cake recipe with my family and friends! God bless you!
Hi J.A.! I’m so glad that you liked my recipes! Let me know if you have any request! XOXO
Rosie , I would like a creamy , smooth cream cheese based macaroni and cheese dish. Would you happen to have one similar to this? A friend many years ago, made a delicious macaroni and cheese dish with cream cheese and evaporated milk and plenty of other cheeses. It was so good! Even after it cooled, the macaroni and cheese casserole stayed really creamy.
I have tried to remember her complete recipe but I haven’t been successful. If you, help me here I’d appreciate it so much. Thank you, again!
One other thing. Would you happen to have a cherry cobbler recipe? This is my favorite type of fruit pie.
I do have a macaroni and cheese recipe like that. Check it out here: https://iheartrecipes.com/soul-food-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/
Also, I will work on the cherry cobbler! XOXO
Honey let me tell you!! I never baked a cake before I did this cake today with your pot roast and dirty rice CHILD I’m a baker NOW! Thanks Luv
Glad that you liked it “Petty”.. LOL!!!
Hi Rosie! I am still waiting on the cherry cobbler recipe. I have found several recipes, elsewhere but none compare as I would imagine , you’d make, lol!!
Yesterday, I made with success a “bakery style” white cake with whipped cream cream cheese icing. I also made a icebox lemon curd pie with whipped topping. Both turned out very nicely. Rosie, would you have a personal lemon curd pie recipe , you could share? Since I feel you are so talented in baking.
Thank you, for listening to me rant, today! Have a wonderful day!
Hi J.A. . I will definitely get the cherry cobbler done. I have a ton of other request ahead of that one. Please stay tuned 🙂
I don’t have a lemon “curd” pie at this time. Sorry.
Hi Rosie, 2 Requests, but can you PLEASE make a Homemade Lemon Layer Cake ( with real lemon juice) and with homemade Lemon Curd ( for the middle) and Frosting, and a Homemade Devil Chocolate Layer Cake??? My Co- Worker made them to Work, and Refuses to share the recipes!!! Lol. They were the BOMB!!! Thank- You
Sounds good. LOL
The video you made is nice and easy. It’s the first cake I’m going to make and I’m going to do it tomorrow. I will just halve the ingredients to make a smaller “test run” cake. Let’s hope all goes well. Thanks Rosie!
Hi Rosie can you tell me what kind of heavy cream did you use
Any heavy cream should do 🙂
Hi Rosie! Can I use the the caramel frosting as fudge in between 2 layers of chocolate cake? Do you think that’s a good idea? ☺️
I never tried that before. I can’t say.
Hello, I pray all is well. Can I substitute unsalted butter in the place of vegetable oil?
Hi there! for best results, I’d stick to the written recipe. 🙂
Rosie, can this there enough batter in this recipe to made a three layer cake? I love your recipes.
Maybe if you make smaller layers 🙂
Rosie, I just make the cakes using the regular recipe and I used three pans, two of them measured
2 1/2 inches tall and one was 3 inches. Once I frost them I believe they will be a nice size cake. Thank you
so much for your excellent recipes.
Hi Rosie I just made the best caramel cake I have ever made. Thanks for sharing your recipe. It reminds me of the cake my granny from Arlington TN used to make.
Thanks for trying my recipe!
Whew! What can I say? I am not a cook. I am not a baker. I struggle in the kitchen. My confidence is weak in the kitchen but I made this cake by request for my son’s birthday and it was a supreme hit. It was not pretty. I can’t frost a cake to save my life but it was delicious! The first batch of icing I made had to be thrown out. Too much stirring and too high of a boil caused it to turn back to sugar crystals. I felt so bad. I reviewed the video several times – realized my mistake and tried again. On the 2nd try, my results were much better. The cake itself was moist and yummy and the icing was near perfection. I impressed myself. I’ve cooked 3-4 of your recipes and all have turned out wonderfully. This is a great site and I love the accompanying videos for the kitchen challenged. Thanks!
Love your website, recipes & your demeanor!
Cake making is new for & I just finished my 4th cake all from you site.
I first made the key lime pond cake followed by the carrot cake (WOW)
The vanilla cake & just finished the Carmel cake.
I’m a 60 year old man facing my 14 bladder cancer surgery in less then seven years.
I say this to let you know cake making is helping me stay sane.
Never underestimate the power of your recipes and website.
Having said all that I noticed a discrepancy in the Carmel cake recipe between the video instructions & the printed recipe.
When adding the browned sugar to the cream mixture the printed instructions say to stir and cook for 10 – 15 minutes.
The video does not have any cooking at this point.
I went with no additional cooking & the frosting turned out great!
Thanks for all you do .
I wish you much success !!!
Hi Tim! I’m glad that you enjoy my recipes!!! Blessings! Xoxo
Hi Rosie! We made this cake yesterday and loved it. One note—the written recipe may need to be updated. You say in the video to cook the caramel sauce for “a couple of minutes,” but the recipe says 10-15 minutes. First time around, I cooked it for close to 15 minutes and after we put it in the mixing bowl, it turned to dry crumbs; looked like brown sugar. Not sure if that’s why it did, but it seems like it cooked too long. We tried again and only cooked it for about 3 minutes, and it turned out great. I think your comment in the video is more correct. Thoughts?
Anyway, once we mastered the icing, it was delicious! We sprinkled some coarse salt on the caramel between the layers and on top. It’s really good!!! I will definitely make this again.
Thank you! We also made your Mac and cheese the other night and loved it, too.
Hi Michael! Thanks for the feedback. I will post my revised recipe soon.
Have made this cake like 3 times more, and wanted to REITERATE HOW WONDERFUL IT IS!! I absolutely love it. I love the dense texture of the cake…I think the sour cream and buttermilk make it a hit. I believe I finally figured out the icing. It’s awesome!!
Thank you again; this is definitely a “go-to” for me.
This came out great! This was my first time making a cake from scratch and the recipe was easy to follow. I left the frosting in the freezer too long while tending to toddlers, and it was a little difficult to spread. But overall, awesome recipe!
Hi, I stumbled across your video on YouTube and thought your caramel cake looked so good, I just had to recreate it myself. I am vegan, so couldn’t follow the recipe exactly to the letter and made some substitutions, but I thought you might like to know it turned out amazing! It was a big hit with everyone. I used homemade vegan yoghurt in place of the sour cream, soy milk with vinegar in place of buttermilk and egg replacer powder in place of the eggs. The cake cake out very stable and moist.
I also used the yoghurt in place of the heavy cream in the caramel.
Thanks again for a great base recipe to go from!
Thanks again.