I’ve never gotten so many compliments on a recipe I’ve made! My girlfriends could not get enough.”

This Homemade Caramel Cake is a true labor of love that results in a wonderfully tender cake layers and a rich, buttery, and utterly decadent homemade caramel frosting. It’s a showstopper dessert that’s worth every bit of effort.

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

How To Make Homemade Caramel Cake:

For The Cake:

1. Prepare Pans: Grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter and lightly sprinkle them with flour. Set aside.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift 2 cups and 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (note: the ingredient list says 2 1/2 cups, please verify your desired amount if this discrepancy is intentional) with 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Stir in 2 cups of regular sugar and mix until combined.
3. Prepare Wet Base: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 sticks of unsalted butter with 1 cup of water. Bring this mixture to a boil.
4. Combine Wet and Dry: Once the butter-water mixture boils, immediately pour it over the flour and sugar mixture in the large mixing bowl. Whisk until they are thoroughly mixed.
5. Add Remaining Wet Ingredients: Add the 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 cup of buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 large whole eggs. Whisk until the batter is smooth and all ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Bake Cake Layers: Evenly spread the cake mixture into the prepared baking pans. Bake for around 25 minutes at 350°F (assuming a standard cake baking temperature), checking your cake after around 15 minutes. The cake is finished when a tester (like a toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overcook to ensure a moist cake.
7. Cool Cake: Remove the pans from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, carefully invert the cake layers onto wire racks lined with parchment paper to cool fully to room temperature.

HOW TO MAKE A MAGICAL HOMEMADE CARAMEL FROSTING:

1. Start Caramel Base: In a large saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups of the granulated sugar, about 1/2 cup of softened butter, 1 cup of heavy cream, and a pinch of sea salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until it almost reaches a rolling boil.
2. Make Sugar Syrup (Caramelizing Sugar):Meanwhile, in a separate small skillet, add the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Melt this sugar on medium heat until it becomes an amber color. This sugar is not stirred; every few minutes, you will need to rotate the pan to help spread and evenly melt the sugar. This is the sugar syrup you are going to add to the first caramel mixture.
3. Combine & Cook Frosting: Once the sugar in the small skillet is an amber caramel, carefully pour this hot sugar syrup into the large saucepan with the caramel base (from Step 1 of frosting). Cook on medium to medium-high heat as you continuously mix in the syrup, stirring continuously until the mixture almost reaches the softball stage (around 235-245°F or 113-118°C on a candy thermometer).
4. Cool & Add Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Allow the caramel mixture to cool for about 15 minutes or so, until it’s slightly warm but not hot.
5. Whip Frosting: Either transfer the mixture to the bowl of a large stand mixer and beat on medium speed, or use a hand mixer on medium speed. Whip the caramel mixture for about 20 minutes, or until it transforms into a thick, spreadable frosting consistency.
   • Note: If the frosting gets too fast (i.e., too stiff too quickly) or too thick, you should add a little extra cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

Assembly:

Once both the cake layers and the frosting are completely cooled, spread the homemade caramel frosting generously between the cake layers and all over the top and sides of the cake. Slice and enjoy your decadent Homemade Caramel Cake!