If you are looking for a cake recipe that ticks all the boxes, then look no further than this Salted Caramel Cake. This layer cake is made from two layers of soft vanilla cake covered in a delicious homemade salted caramel cream cheese frosting.
This cake recipe has a great caramel flavor and this is an easy-to-follow recipe that is perfect to make for birthday parties, high tea get-togethers, or when you simply need something more than that after-dinner block of chocolate.
If you love trying out new cake recipes then have a look at this recipe for a Blueberry and Banana Cake or this recipe for a classic Vanilla Sheet Cake recipe.
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Ingredients
To make this decadent layer cake you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember to always use fresh room temperature ingredients when baking.
- Sunflower oil
- Extra-large eggs
- Granulated white sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk
- Whipping cream
- Sea salt
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Cream cheese
Sunflower oil - this cake uses oil instead of butter for extra moistness! Use neutral-tasting vegetable oil for this recipe like sunflower or canola oil.
Extra-large eggs - out of their shell, the eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren't sure if you have the same eggs - weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
Self-raising flour - if you can't find self-raising flour, you can use cake flour or all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder. Check the recommendations on the packaging of your baking powder to decide how much should be added.
Vanilla extract - choose a quality vanilla extract rather than essence to give this recipe a great vanilla flavor. You can also use vanilla bean paste.
Unsalted butter - be sure to use unsalted butter rather than salted butter for this recipe. It is also very important that you are using room-temperature butter.
Whipping cream - Heavy cream refers to creams that have a fat content higher than 36%, in South Africa, these creams are often called whipping cream. Please don't make the mistake of confusing this with double thick cream, it isn't the same!
Sea salt - for the caramel I used fleur de sel or flaky sea salt, I recommend doing the same.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the simple instructions below to make this delicious Salted Caramel Cake recipe. First, you will be making the cake layers and allowing them to cool, then you will be making the homemade caramel sauce and then the salted caramel buttercream frosting.
Instructions for cake
STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 170C (340F) and line 2x 20cm (8 inches) round cake tins with oil and parchment paper.
STEP 2: Beat eggs, sugar, and oil. Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
STEP 3: Add dry ingredients. Sift together the salt and self-raising flour then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
STEP 4: Add wet ingredients. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a jug, and slowly pour this into the cake mixture with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
STEP 5: Bake. Divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 30 minutes, before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Instructions for salted caramel
STEP 1: Melt sugar. Add the sugar to a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat.
STEP 2: Allow the sugar to turn amber. Whisk continuously until the sugar has melted. Allow the sugar to turn a light amber color. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
STEP 3: Add the cream. When amber in color, remove the sugar from the heat and add the cream, whisk until incorporated.
STEP 4: Add the butter. Slowly add the cubed butter to the caramel, one at a time, whisking as you go. Once all the butter has been added, continue to whisk until it has all melted.
STEP 5: Add salt. Add the sea salt to the caramel and whisk to combine. Pour the caramel into a glass jar and allow the caramel to cool to room temperature.
Instructions for frosting
STEP 1: Beat icing sugar and butter. Add the icing sugar and butter to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
STEP 2: Add cream cheese. Add the cubed cream cheese and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 2 minutes.
STEP 3: Add caramel. Add ½ cup of the cooled caramel and beat again.
STEP 4: Beat until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat at medium-high speed for a further 3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Fill a piping bag with the frosting.
Instructions for assembly
STEP 1: Level cake layers. Use a sharp knife to trim the domed tops of the cake layers if necessary.
STEP 2: Layer with frosting. Secure the first cake layer onto a cake plate with a bit of frosting. Pipe a layer of frosting over the surface of the cake and smooth this out with a spatula. Pipe a border of frosting around the circumference of the cake.
STEP 3: Fill with caramel. Spoon ½ cup of the salted caramel into this border of frosting and smooth out the caramel with the back of a spoon. Reserve the remaining caramel for serving.
STEP 4: Secure the top cake layer. Place the second layer of cake onto the caramel with the cut side facing down.
STEP 5: Cover the cake with frosting. Pipe the frosting over the tops and sides of the cake and use a spatula to even this out, creating swirls of frosting as you go. Top with caramel pieces, serve and enjoy!
Hint: Make sure the caramel has cooled completely before adding it to the homemade salted caramel frosting.
Variations
If you are a chocolate lover and would love to try out a chocolate variation of this salted caramel cake then use this Naked Chocolate Cake recipe and switch out the frosting! But don't forget to let me know you your salted caramel chocolate cake turns out!
Equipment
For this delicious cake recipe, you will need x2 20cm cake tins, a wire rack for cooling, a disposable piping bag, and an electric mixer.
I always use a stand mixer or electric whisk to make the buttercream as they help ensure a fluffy frosting. I also always use an accurate kitchen scale when baking.
Storage
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If it is very hot choose to store this cake in the fridge.
To freeze this cake, cut the frosted cake into individual slices and wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake in the fridge overnight, then bring the slices to room temperature before consuming.
Top tips
Follow the tips below to make sure your salted caramel cake is baked to perfection!
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before decorating.
- Keep an eye on the sugar as it is melting as it can burn very quickly.
- To avoid a lumpy and runny frosting, make sure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature.
FAQ
The eggs I have used weigh about 56 grams out of their shell. Weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
You can bake this cake in different-sized cake pans, you will just need to adjust the baking time. Larger tins will need less time and smaller tins, more time to bake.
Caramel when on the stove can burn very quickly, and you will notice it by the smell of the sugar. If this happens, it is better to start again as the caramel will be very bitter.
I love this fluffy caramel cake recipe, and it's a firm favorite among those I bake for! So I hope you decide to give this a go, and if you do please leave a comment and star review below I would love to hear from you!
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Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Salted Caramel Cake
Equipment
- 2x 20cm round cake tins (8 inches)
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 340 g sugar white granulated
- 4 eggs extra large
- 150 ml sunflower oil
- 380 g self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 360 ml whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Salted Caramel
- 100 g sugar white granulated
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 80 g butter unsalted
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
Salted Caramel Frosting
- 600 g powdered sugar
- 100 g butter unsalted
- 250 g cream cheese
- ½ cup salted caramel from above
Assembly
- ½ cup salted caramel from above
- caramel pieces store bought
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 2x 20cm (8 inches) round cake tins with oil and parchment paper.
- Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Sift together the salt and self-raising flour then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
- Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a jug, and slowly pour this into the cake mixture with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
- Divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 30 minutes, before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Salted Caramel
- Add the sugar to a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat.
- Whisk continuously until the sugar has melted. Allow the sugar to turn a light amber color. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
- When amber in color, remove the sugar from the heat and add the cream, whisk until incorporated. Be careful as the caramel will bubble.
- Slowly add the cubed butter to the caramel, one at a time, whisking as you go. Once all the butter has been added, continue to whisk until it has all melted.
- Add the sea salt to the caramel and whisk to combine. Pour the caramel into a glass jar and allow the caramel to cool to room temperature.
Salted Caramel Frosting
- Add the icing sugar and butter to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of the cooled caramel and beat again.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat at medium-high speed for a further 3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Fill a piping bag with the frosting.
Assembly
- Use a sharp knife to trim the domed tops of the cake layers if necessary.
- Secure the first cake layer onto a cake plate with a bit of frosting. Pipe a layer of frosting over the surface of the cake and smooth this out with a spatula. Pipe a border of frosting around the circumference of the cake.
- Spoon ½ cup of the salted caramel into this border of frosting and smooth out the caramel with the back of a spoon. Reserve the remaining caramel for serving.
- Place the second layer of cake onto the caramel with the cut side facing down.
- Pipe the frosting over the tops and sides of the cake and use a spatula to even this out, creating swirls of frosting as you go. Top with caramel pieces, serve and enjoy!
Mel says
I’m in love with this cake, so good! Will definitely make it again