Caramel Cake
"This is out of Southern Living's Top 10 Cake Recipes. A unique, interesting, and satisfying cake. Try it some time!"
photo by Chef Flo in SeMo
- Ready In:
- 1hr 35mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Yields:
-
1 two layer cake
- Serves:
- 12-14
ingredients
-
Cake
- 1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
- 1⁄4 cup milk
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
-
Frosting
- 3 cups sugar, divided
- 3⁄4 cup milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1⁄2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, cut into pieces
- 1 pinch salt
directions
- For cake: Preheat oven to 350*.
- Grease and flour two 9-inch layer pans.
- Combine sour cream and milk in small bowl; set aside.
- Beat butter until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternating with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Stir in vanilla (and rum extract).
- Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake in heated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire wracks.
- For frosting: Combine 2 1/2 cups sugar, milk, beaten egg, and salt in a bowl, stirring well; stir in butter.
- Set aside.
- Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup sugar in saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and syrup is a light golden brown.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir butter mixture into hot caramelized sugar.
- (The sugar mixture will tend to clump, but will become smooth after further cooking.) Cook entire mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer registers 235* (about 15-20 minutes).
- Cool mixture for 5 minutes.
- Beat frosting with a wooden spoon to almost spreading consistency (about 5 minutes).
- Immediately spread between layers and on top and sides of cake.
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Reviews
-
I made this cake for Thanksgiving and it was incredibly moist, rich, pure PERFECTION!!!!!!!! All of my family as well as guests were raving about how good the cake was. I would recommend this recipe over and over and over again to any and everyone. Thanks so much for creating memories that will last a lifetime. -
This rating is for the cake only: The cake turned out very well. It was very moist. I added the vanilla and tasted the batter and it was good. I was skeptical of the rum, but added it as well....tasted the batter and it was great!! I would definitely recommend adding the rum flavoring. It really added a nice dimension to the flavor. -
This cake turned out really well and was very easy to make. I had read several reviews that said how moist it was but mine was a bit dryer than I would have liked it to be but it was still good. I used rum instead of the rum flavoring and loved the flavor it gave the cake. I didn't use the icing recipe included with the cake recipe, but I may try it next time. <br/><br/>I would love any suggestions for making it more moist. -
This cake was very delicious! The cake was very moist and the caramel frosting was to die for. The only thing I didn't like about the recipe is that the frosting takes forever to make, but it's worth it! Reminds me of my Grandma's caramel cake recipe. -
The cake tiers froze well for a week. The frosting took me 45 minutes to make from start to finish. It definitely took 15 minutes or more of beating with the wooden spoon after the caramel came off of the stove. The frosting complimented the cake very well. Vanilla or butter pecan ice cream would go excellent with this cake.
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Tweaks
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I turned this into cupcakes instead of a layer cake, and they were FANTASTIC. Such a great recipe! Making the caramel icing also provided a tremendous sense of accomplishment since I never, ever make candy.
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This cake turned out really well and was very easy to make. I had read several reviews that said how moist it was but mine was a bit dryer than I would have liked it to be but it was still good. I used rum instead of the rum flavoring and loved the flavor it gave the cake. I didn't use the icing recipe included with the cake recipe, but I may try it next time. <br/><br/>I would love any suggestions for making it more moist.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Cooking to Perfecti
United States
Hi! My name is Elaine. I am still currently in school, but one of my favorite hobbies, along with dancing, is to cook. Ever since I was really young, my mom and I would make everything together, especially cookies, cakes, and all other sweets. My dad always cooked dinners, and has passed down many good tips and wonderful recipes. I work whenever I can as a hostess at a nearby restaurant.
