This buttery homemade Southern Caramel Cake is what dessert dreams are made of. It features three layers of homemade cake frosted with a decadent homestyle caramel frosting.

Easy Southern Caramel Cake Recipe

This scratch made caramel layer cake is unapologetically sweet. It’s one of those beloved cakes that everyone loves to eat. It’s quite commonly found at the holidays or special occasions and perfect for birthday celebrations, too. How to make simple Caramel Cake Recipe:

Flour – 3 cups all purpose flour sifted with baking powder and salt. I use a whisk for this and it works perfectly.
Fats – Unsalted butter and solid vegetable shortening.
Sugar – Both granulated sugar and light brown sugar.
Flavorings – Pure vanilla extract.
Eggs – Four large eggs.
Milk – Buttermilk, not fat free.
Caramel Frosting – Salted butter (or you can use unsalted and add 1/4 teaspoon salt), evaporated milk, dark brown sugar, pure vanilla extract, powdered sugar ans additional evaporated milk, whole milk or heavy cream as needed to thin the icing to spreading consistency.

How to Make the Best Southern Caramel Cake Recipe

Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Southern Caramel Cake: All purpose flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, vegetable shortening, butter, vanilla extract, large eggs and buttermilk.
Ingredients you’ll need to make the Caramel Frosting: Butter, evaporated milk, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, vanilla extract and sifted powdered sugar.
Kitchen tools you’ll need: A stand mixer or a hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, 8 or 9 inch cake pans, cooling rack, a heavy bottomed medium size saucepan to make the frosting, a wooden spoon or heat safe rubber spatula for stirring the frosting and an offset icing spatula. You’ll also need a cake stand or platter for the cake.
The reason I give a range for the amount of powdered sugar is due to the fact that you can adjust the amount depending on how much you need. For example, a 2 layer cake will need less icing and a 3 layer cake made with 9 inch cake pans may need more. You can adapt the amount according to your needs. You can add half and half or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time to thin as desired for easy spreading.
The icing may begin to set while you work. Have your cake layers completely cooled and ready to go so you can work quickly.
I also recommend having nearby a glass filled with hot water. Dip the icing spatula into the water, dry with a cloth then continue to work. This will also help smooth the surface of the frosting.
You can frost this cake any way you like. To achieve the design in the images, use the tip of an icing spatula beginning in the middle of the cake. Turn the cake making a spiral design to the outer edge.
You could garnish the top of this cake with toasted chopped pecans or walnuts, if you’d like.
Store leftover Southern Caramel Cake chilled in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
You can freeze Caramel Cake for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

More Southern Style Cake Recipes to Make

If you’re in the mood for making scratch made Southern cakes, you’ve come to the right place! More cake recipes you may also like to try:

My mile high Banana Pudding Layer Cake is dressed to impress.
Buttered Rum Cake is a holiday classic filled with nostalgia.
Southern Hummingbird Cake is credited by Southern Living to have been created by Mrs. Wiggins from right here in my neck of the woods in North Carolina.
Coconut Cream Cake is simply luscious.
You won’t find a better recipe for Italian Cream Cake anywhere else. It’s a show stopper!
My recipe for Buttered Rum Cake is a holiday must-make.
If simplicity is the name of the game, you can never go wrong with a homemade Million Dollar Pound Cake.
Blackberry Cake from Preppy Kitchen.

caramel-cake-recipe-with-caramel-frosting

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