Description
A rich and elegant salted caramel layer cake with moist cake layers, tangy cream cheese frosting, and a luxurious homemade salted caramel drizzle—perfect for celebrations and special occasions.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Salted Caramel:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another large bowl, beat softened butter with granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until fluffy.
- Salted Caramel: In a saucepan, melt sugar over medium heat until amber-colored. Add butter and stir until melted. Slowly add heavy cream and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in sea salt. Let cool.
- Assembly: Layer cakes with cream cheese frosting. Frost the outside of the cake and drizzle with cooled caramel. Chill slightly before slicing.
Notes
- Chill cake layers before frosting for easier assembly.
- Use a crumb coat to achieve a smooth finish before final frosting layer.
- Make caramel ahead of time and rewarm gently if too thick.
- Use a kitchen scale to divide batter evenly between pans.
- Serve cake at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 54g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 110mg