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This show-stopping Southern-style Caramel Cake has three layers of soft, buttery yellow cake covered in a rich, homemade caramel frosting that’s cooked low and slow until golden and perfectly spreadable. It’s the kind of cake that deserves a spot on any holiday dessert table.
If you love classic Southern layer cakes, you’ve got to try my Old-Fashioned Red Velvet Cake, Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting, and Hummingbird Cake next!
Now, y’all know I love a good homemade cake, but Southern caramel cake is something special. The cake has to be tender enough to practically melt in your mouth, but sturdy enough to hold all that caramel goodness. I’ve been obsessed with getting this recipe just right, testing, tweaking, and fussing over every little detail so you don’t have to. And honey, the finished cake? Whew! It’s the kind of dessert that’ll have you sneaking another slice before anybody notices!
Southern Caramel Cake Recipe Overview
- ⭐ Difficulty: Intermediate
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 30 minutes
- 🍰 Bake Time: 40–45 minutes
- 🍯 Caramel Frosting Cooking Time: 40–60 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 16 slices
- ❤️ Why You’ll Love It: That gorgeous caramel frosting is made from scratch! No powdered sugar, no store-bought caramel sauce, just a rich, slow-cooked frosting spread over three tender cake layers.
- 🎄 Perfect For: Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, Sunday dinners, and special occasions.
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
The full ingredient list and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cake flour: Gives the cake its soft, tender crumb thanks to its lower protein content. Have some leftover? Try my Italian Cream Cake next!
- Vanilla pudding mix: My little trick for an extra-soft cake with that nostalgic, old-school vanilla flavor! Use dry instant pudding mix, not prepared pudding or cake mix.
- Butter and vegetable oil: Butter brings that rich, old-fashioned flavor, while oil keeps the cake incredibly moist. I use the same combination in my Coconut Cake, and the texture is SO good!
- Buttermilk and sour cream: Keep the cake moist and tender while adding a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the frosting.
- Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk: These are the foundation of our cooked caramel frosting! Together with butter and brown sugar, they create that rich, buttery caramel flavor and thick, spreadable consistency.
How To Make Caramel Cake
Prep: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees f. Spray three 8 inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 1: Whisk dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, dry vanilla pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream the butter, oil, and sugar. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil for about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the egg whites, mixing until incorporated.
Step 3: Finish the batter. Whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla bean paste, butter vanilla emulsion, and almond extract in a separate bowl. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, followed by the buttermilk mixture, then the remaining dry ingredients. Mix just until smooth.
Step 4: Bake! Divide between the prepared pans and bake for 40–45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks.
Now make the Caramel Frosting
Step 5: Make the homemade caramel frosting. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and whisk for 2–3 minutes, then stir in the evaporated and sweetened condensed milk. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 40–60 minutes, stirring continuously, until deep golden brown and thick like pudding. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the vanilla bean paste, salt, baking soda, and heavy cream (it’ll bubble up!). Whisk for 3 minutes, then cool for 20–30 minutes until thick but spreadable.
Britney’s Tip: Don’t walk away from that caramel, y’all! Keep the heat low and scrape the bottom and corners of the pan to prevent scorching.
Step 6: Assemble the cake. Place the first cooled cake layer on a cake stand and spread a thin, even layer of caramel frosting over the top. Add the second cake layer and repeat, then allow the layers to settle for about 10 minutes to prevent slipping. Place the third layer on top and gradually pour half of the remaining caramel frosting over the cake, using an offset spatula to gently spread it across the top and sides. Let the frosting set for 20 minutes, then finish with the remaining caramel, smoothing it evenly over the cake.
How to Know When Caramel Frosting Is Ready
Listen, this frosting takes a little patience, but the results are SO worth it! As it cooks, you’ll notice the caramel gradually change from a light tan to a deeper golden brown while thickening into a pudding-like consistency.
The trick is to stop cooking once the caramel is thick enough to generously coat the back of a spoon, almost like pudding. It’ll continue thickening as it cools, so don’t wait until it’s stiff in the saucepan! You want it thick enough to cling to your cake layers but still soft enough to spread.
Britney’s Pro Tips
- Room-temperature ingredients are a MUST! Butter, eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk should all be at room temperature so everything blends smoothly into a soft, tender cake batter.
- Work in stages when frosting. The caramel should be thick enough to spread but still soft enough to pour. Apply a thin layer between the cakes, give them a few minutes to settle, then gradually cover the top and sides. If the frosting gets too thick, stir in a tablespoon of warm milk at a time until it’s workable again.
- If your frosting gets too thick, don’t panic! Stir in a tablespoon of warm milk at a time until it’s soft enough to spread. The caramel should be thick but still workable when you’re ready to frost the cake.
Storage and Freezing
- To store: Keep the assembled caramel cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because the frosting contains substantial dairy, refrigeration is the conservative storage choice.
- To freeze: Wrap unfrosted cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
- To serve: Let refrigerated slices sit at room temperature for approximately 20–30 minutes before serving. This allows the butter-rich cake and caramel frosting to soften for the best texture.
Caramel Cake Recipe FAQs
Traditional Southern caramel cake is known for its tender yellow cake layers and rich, cooked caramel frosting. Instead of using caramel-flavored buttercream, the frosting is made by slowly cooking sugar, butter, and dairy until thick and golden. That homemade frosting is what gives Southern caramel cake its signature flavor and texture!
It may need more cooking time or more time to cool. The frosting should thicken to a pudding-like consistency on the stovetop before cooling. If it’s still very thin and warm, allow it to cool further. If it’s completely cool but remains runny, it may need additional gentle cooking to reduce the moisture.
Absolutely! I recommend baking the cake layers the day before and wrapping them tightly once cooled. Then make the caramel frosting and assemble the cake the following day. It’s a great way to spread out the work when preparing desserts for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
More Southern-Style Cake Recipes
If you make this Southern Caramel Cake, please leave a star rating and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and use #britneybreaksbread so I can see what you’re baking. Happy baking, y’all!
Southern Caramel Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Large Saucepan
- Offset Spatula (optional, but recommended)
Ingredients
Yellow Cake Recipe
- 4 cups Cake Flour
- 3.4 oz Vanilla Pudding Mix
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups Salted Butter , (room temperature)
- 2 cups Sugar
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 4 large Eggs, (room temperature)
- 2 Egg Whites, (room temperature)
- 1 1/3 cups Full Fat Buttermilk, (room temperature)
- 2/3 cup Sour Cream, (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste, (or vanilla extract)
- 1 tbsp Butter Vanilla Emulsion, (or 2 tsp butter extract)
- 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
Caramel Frosting
- 1 cup Salted Butter
- 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
- 12 oz Evaporated Milk
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste, (or vanilla extract)
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees f. Spray three 8 inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In another large bowl, combine the dry ingredients – cake flour, vanilla pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and nutmeg. 4 cups Cake Flour 3.4 oz Vanilla Pudding Mix 1 tbsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp Baking Soda 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add room temperature butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Cream together on medium speed for 3 minutes, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix for an additional two minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low speed. Begin adding eggs, one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated prior to adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after the addition of each egg. Then add egg whites and mix until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds. 1 1/4 cups Salted Butter 2 cups Sugar 1/4 cup Brown Sugar 2/3 cup Vegetable Oil 4 large Eggs 2 Egg Whites
- In a separate bowl or large cup, mix together buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla extract, butter vanilla emulsion, and almond extract. Whisk together until combined, about 10-20 seconds. 1 1/3 cups Full Fat Buttermilk 2/3 cup Sour Cream 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste 1 tbsp Butter Vanilla Emulsion 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
- Add half of the dry ingredients into the batter and mix until just combined, about 15 seconds. With the mixer going, pour in the sour cream/buttermilk mixture and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the remainder of the dry ingredients. Mix until combined and smooth.
- Divide the cake batter amongst three 8 inch cakes and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cakes are cooling, make the caramel frosting. Add butter to a medium or large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add in brown sugar and whisk until combined, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. Reduce the heat to low to medium low and stir continuously for about 40 minute to an 1 hour, until the caramel turns a deep golden brown and it thickens to a pudding like consistency. Do not walk away from the pan, it is mandatory that you stand by the pan while it’s cooking so that the frosting doesn’t burn. 1 cup Salted Butter 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar 12 oz Evaporated Milk 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Once it reaches that deep golden color and desired consistency, remove from the heat and add in vanilla bean paste, kosher salt, baking soda, and heavy cream. It'll bubble up a bit, whisk constantly for about 3 minutes, then let the hot caramel sit for about 20-30 minutes to cool and thicken, this will make it easier to spread onto the cake layers. 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 1/4 tsp Baking Soda 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- Place the first cake onto a cake stand and smear a thin, even layer of caramel on top of the cake. Just enough to coat the cake. Then repeat with the second layer (be careful stacking as the frosting is slippery). Let the cakes sit for about 10 minutes – this prevents the cake from slipping. A cake collar is helpful here, too.
- Place the third layer on top and pour half of the remaining caramel sauce on top (it'll be slippery so be patient!), using an offset spatula to smooth the caramel around the top and sides of the cake. Let it set for 20 minutes, then pour the remaining sauce, covering the entire cake.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The instructions do not show when the butter is added to the cake.
Hi Shirley, please read step 3! Enjoy!
This looks delicious! Can it be baked in a 9 x 13 inch glass pan instead?
Hi Joyce! I wouldn’t use a glass pan for baking, metal or ceramic will be best as glass conducts heat differently and can overbake cakes/brownies etc. If you’d like to use a 9×13 pan, you can, but you’ll have some leftover batter and frosting. I recommend filling the 9×13 pan 2×3 full, then using any leftover batter to make a small 6 inch cake or perhaps some cupcakes! Enjoy!
I have always wanted to make this caramel cake and I made it for thanksgiving and it did not disappoint. It was so decadent and the caramel taste lingered on your palate. Absolutely making again and again. Not difficult but I love to cook so I love any challenge. Your recipes do not disappoint. I have never found one I didn’t like. This cake was worth every calorie. I may not eat for two weeks but well worth it.
Thanks so much Maureen! I’m So happy that you loved this recipe, it’s a new favorite of mine!
I have always wanted to make this caramel cake and I made it for thanksgiving and it did not disappoint. It was so decadent and the caramel taste lingered on your palate. Absolutely making again and again. Not difficult but I love to cook so I love any challenge. Your recipes do not disappoint. I have never found one I didn’t like.
I have always wanted to make this caramel cake and I made it for thanksgiving and it did not disappoint. It was so decadent and the caramel taste lingered on your palate. Absolutely making again and again. Not difficult but I love to cook so I love any challenge.
I have always wanted to make this caramel cake and I made it for thanksgiving and it did not disappoint. It was so decadent and the caramel taste lingered on your palate. Absolutely making again and again. Not difficult bit I love to cook so I love any challenge. Your recipes never disappoint.