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Caramel cake on a white cake stand.
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5 from 51 votes

Southern Caramel Cake

This Southern Caramel Cake recipe is made with layers of homemade moist yellow cake with a luscious thick caramel icing made from scratch! It's rich and delicious and perfect for any special occasion!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time4 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 853kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g) or 3 ¼ cups cake flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • ¼ cup whole milk, room temperature

For the Frosting

  • 1 cup salted butter, cubed
  • 3 ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles and spray with baking spray.
  • Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla extract.
  • Add flour, baking powder, and salt alternately with sour cream and milk.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. (Or bake in 3 pans for 23-30 minutes.)

For the Frosting

  • Combine butter, sugar, and evaporated milk in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn, until the mixture reaches 240°F (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the pan. It should have thickened and turned a beautiful caramel brown color.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let the caramel icing cool for about 20 to 25 minutes before icing the cake so it can set up more. To thicken it even more, you can beat it with a sturdy wooden spoon for 20 to 25 minutes until it reaches a glossy, smooth, thick consistency that is spreadable or you can actually transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and beat with the paddle attachment for more of a frosting than a caramel icing. If the icing gets too thick, add just enough milk to make it spreadable again.
  • Frost the cake layers with the caramel icing, then chill to set.

Notes

  • Storage: This cake will keep at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can also refrigerate it for 5-7 days, but plan ahead so it can come to room temperature before serving, otherwise the slices will taste stale.

Nutrition

Calories: 853kcal | Carbohydrates: 129g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 477mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 105g | Vitamin A: 1153IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg