This easy caramel cake recipe is a super moist from scratch cake with a rich, buttery caramel flavor, topped with smooth caramel buttercream frosting.
Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including the FAQ section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!
This homemade caramel cake is perfect for birthdays. It’s easy and simple to make, yet so delicious without having to go through the trouble of making caramel from scratch.
What’s special about this cake?
- Homemade caramel flavor without the fuss of having to actually make caramel from scratch
- Moist and rich texture
- Easy from-scratch recipe
- Silky caramel buttercream frosting
- Perfect for birthdays and other special occasions
How to make this easy caramel cake from scratch:
(The full printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 8″ round cake pans and set aside.
Step 2:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and dry instant pudding mix. Whisk well and set aside.
Step 3:
In another bowl, add the coffee creamer, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk well and set aside.
Step 4:
In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter and mix on medium until smooth. Add in the sugars and mix on medium and then on medium high for several minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs one at a time and mix on medium for 20 seconds after each egg.
Alternately add in the flour mixture and the liquid mixture. Starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Step 5:
Divide batter into the prepared pans. Batter will be quite thick so just spread it around evenly in the pans.
Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 50-60 minutes. Ovens vary. Cake layers will bake up flat on top.
Step 6:
Remove the cake layers from the oven and cool, still inside the pans, on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before adding buttercream.
Step 7:
To make the buttercream, using a large mixing bowl and add the butter and salt and mix on medium-high until smooth.
Add three cups of the confectioner’s sugar, the caramel and the creamer and mix on medium high until well mixed.
Add the last 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar and mix on medium-high until well mixed and smooth.
Check the consistency. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of the plain milk and mix again.
Step 8:
To assemble the cake, add a cooled cake layer on a cake plate and add frosting to the top and smooth.
Drizzle with a few tablespoons of caramel sauce if desired.
Add the next cake layer then cover the entire cake with frosting, then drizzle with caramel sauce on top if desired.
Recipe
Easy Caramel Cake from Scratch
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (Measured correctly: Spooned into the measuring cup and leveled off – don't scoop and pack the flour into the cup, that will add too much flour.)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (3.4 ounce box) dry instant butterscotch instant pudding mix, remove 2 full tablespoons and either discard it or save it for another use (If you use a full box of pudding mix, it will make the cake sink in the middle.)
- 1 cup vanilla caramel coffee creamer, close to room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk, close to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
For the buttercream:
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla caramel coffee creamer
- ¼ cup jarred caramel sauce
- 1-3 tablespoons milk
Drizzle: (optional)
- jarred caramel sauce
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour (or add parchment paper to) two 8″ round cake pans and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and dry instant pudding mix. Whisk well and set aside.
- In another bowl, add the coffee creamer, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk well and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter and mix on medium until smooth. Add in the sugars and mix on medium and then on medium high for several minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs one at a time and mix on medium for 20 seconds after each egg.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again on medium speed, just until everything is incorporated.
- Alternately add in the flour mixture and the liquid mixture. Starting and ending with the flour mixture. (Add in ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix on medium just until combined. Add in ½ the liquid mixture, mix on medium only until just combined. Add another ⅓ of the flour mixture, mix on medium only until combined. Add in the last of the liquid mixture, mix on medium only until combined, then the last of the flour mixture and mix on medium only until combined.)
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium for about 15 seconds. Be very careful not to mix long as that will cause a dense and rubbery cake.
- Divide batter into the prepared pans. Batter will be quite thick so just spread it around evenly in the pans.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 50-60 minutes. Ovens vary. Cake layers will bake up flat on top. Make sure not to under bake or the cake will sink in the middle when you pull it out. The cake is done when the sides of the cake pull away from the pan and the top will be a bit firmer and not mushy when lightly touched. (Do not test until very close to the end of the baking time, or this could cause your call to sink.)
- Remove the cake layers from the oven and cool, still inside the pans, on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before adding buttercream.
For the buttercream:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and salt and mix on medium-high until smooth.
- Add three cups of the confectioner’s sugar, the caramel and the creamer and mix on medium high until well mixed.
- Add the last 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar and mix on medium-high until well mixed and smooth.
- Check the consistency. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of the plain milk and mix again. (Yes, you could add the creamer, however the frosting is already quite sweet and adding more creamer can make it over the top sweet.) Repeat until desired consistency is reached.
To assemble:
- Add a cooled cake layer on a cake plate and add frosting to the top and smooth.
- Drizzle with a few tablespoons of caramel sauce if desired.
- Add the next cake layer then cover the entire cake with frosting, then drizzle with caramel suace on top if desired.
Notes
You can also pop a slice in the microwave to warm up a bit. For other questions: Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs section below this recipe card, which should answer other questions you may have about ingredients, substitutions, other pan sizes, etc. Nutritional values are an estimate. *This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
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Video:
Tips & FAQs:
Add the pudding mix dry.
I’ve only tested this recipe using the instant pudding.
I’ve found that using the full amount of instant pudding, makes the cake sink in the middle.
I tried that and it makes a very weird texture that does not smooth.
Sure. Use the creamer flavor that you like, but just be aware that if you’d like the cake to have a caramel flavor then you’ll need to pick a caramel flavored creamer. You don’t have to pick the vanilla caramel flavor though, just something similar enough.
It’s best if you use unsalted as it doesn’t have as much water content as salted butter has, however if you can’t get it, you can use salted butter in a pinch and just omit the other salt that the recipe calls for.
This cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter.
This cake can be made ahead of time and frozen if desired. Let the baked cake layers cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and foil and place in the freezer for up to a month.
To thaw, place the wrapped cake layers on the counter at room temperature and let thaw completely, then remove the wrapping. Once defrosted, assemble and add frosting.
This cake should be stored in an airtight container or covered well in the refrigerator and can last up to 6 days.
I have not tested this recipe out as cupcakes, so I cannot guarantee it will turn out. If you’d like to try, just fill 2 cupcake pans (24 cupcakes) with cupcake liners and fill with batter about ⅔ of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees F and start checking for doneness at around 20-25 minutes.
Probably although I haven’t tried it out. If you do try it, make sure to grease and flour the bundt pan very well so that it doesn’t stick. Bake at 325 degrees F for the same amount of time although it will likely take longer to bake since a bundt pan is deeper.
Do not pull it out until the cake is fully baked. The cake will be firmer to the touch and not jiggly and a toothpick inserted into the cake will come out either with a few moist crumbs on it or clean.
Yes, however if you want to bake this recipe in two, 6-inch pans, you don’t want to use all the batter as it might overflow the pans since you’ll be using smaller pans. Pour the batter about ⅔ of the way up each 6-inch pan and use any leftover batter to make a couple cupcakes. Make sure to start checking for doneness about 15 minutes earlier, since the pans are smaller. It may not be done that early, but that’s when you want to start keeping an eye on it.
If you have three, 6-inch pans, then just divide all the batter bewteen the three 6-inch pans. The layers will be a bit thinner than usual, so you will want to start checking for doneness about 15-20 minutes earlier, just in case.
Yes, however the layers might be a little thinner than if you’d baked the batter in two, 8-inch round pans. Also, start checking the cake for doneness about 10 minutes earlier or so, since the batter won’t be as deep in the pans and will bake quicker.
Probably although I haven’t tried it out. If you do try it, make sure to grease and flour or spray the pan, then bake at 325 degrees F for about 40 minutes although that time may need to be adjusted slightly. Keep an eye on it a little earlier and know that it may need to bake a little longer. The cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out either with a few moist crumbs on it or clean.
Most cakes are best served close to room temperature, especially when made with butter like this one. If the cake is cold, set it out to come closer to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving.
You can also pop a slice in the microwave to warm up a bit.
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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Alistair Judkins
Beautiful caramel cake. Shame it’s so many calories I could eat it every day.
Kara
Oh I feel you…seems like everything tasty is a million calories. Why does sugar have to have so many!