Caramel Cake with Caramel Icing
User Reviews
4.6
144 reviews
Excellent
Caramel Cake with Caramel Icing
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Caramel Cake with Caramel Icing is a moist, thin cake baked in a sheet pan, featuring a batter sweetened with brown sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. The cake is topped with a buttery caramel icing made of brown sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla, creating a smooth and richly sweet glaze. The baking technique results in a tender crumb and deep caramel flavor throughout.
Description
This cake batter combines melted butter and water heated with brown sugar to a rolling boil, then cooled slightly and mixed with vanilla, flour, salt, baking soda, sour cream, and eggs. The batter is poured into a greased or parchment-lined 18x13 inch half sheet pan to yield a thinner cake, though smaller pans can be used with adjusted baking times. It bakes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean or edges are golden. The caramel icing is cooked separately from butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and salt, then finished with vanilla. Once the cake is cooled slightly, the warm caramel icing is poured over to coat the top. The result is a sweet, moist cake with a rich caramel glaze that adds a glossy finish and additional sweetness. Variations in pan size affect bake time. The cake serves well as a dessert for gatherings or everyday occasions.
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Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks, salted
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 large egg
For the icing
- 3/4 cup butter 1 and 1/2 sticks, salted
- 3 & 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream, 1/3 cup plus
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 18x13 inch half sheet pan* with parchment paper, or just spray it well with nonstick spray (or grease with butter).
- In a medium saucepan, melt 1 cup butter and 1 cup water over medium high heat. Add 2 cups brown sugar and stir occasionally until it comes to a rolling boil (that means bubbles all the way across the top, not just the edges.) Remove from heat once it has come to a full boil.
- Let it cool for a couple minutes, then add 2 teaspoons vanilla.
- Add 2 cups flour to the pot, but don't mix yet. Add the salt and baking soda on top of the flour and use a small spoon to stir it into the flour (You don't want to accidentally get a chunk of salt or soda in your cake, ew).
- Use a whisk to stir the flour mixture in. Try to get all the lumps out.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and sour cream. Add this to the cake batter and stir until incorporated.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread to the edges.
- Bake at 350 for about 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no batter on it. The edges of the cake will start to pull away from the side of the pan.
- Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes before frosting.
- Make the caramel icing: In a clean saucepan, melt 3/4 cup butter, 3 and 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup evaporated milk (or heavy cream), and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once it is at a rolling boil, stir constantly, watching for the consistency to thicken - it should coat the back of a spoon. As soon as it does, remove from heat (this may take as little as 3 minutes and as many as 10). Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and stir.
- Fill a large bowl with ice water. Place the entire pan of frosting into the ice bath, making sure you don't get any water in the caramel. Stir constantly for 3-5 minutes, making sure to be scraping the edges of the pan. See photos. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't harden up without you noticing! (Don't walk away. You can read in the comments about a bunch of people who waited too long and their caramel got too hard. Sometimes it takes 3 minutes, sometimes more.)
- While it is still pour-able, pour the icing over the slightly cooled cake and spread to the edges.
- Let the icing set for a few minutes before serving warm. This is really good with vanilla ice cream! It's so rich, you can cut it into pretty small pieces. (I mean. I don't. But I have a major sweet tooth.)
Notes
- Using an 18x13 inch pan produces a thinner cake baked in about 17-20 minutes; smaller pans require longer baking times up to 25 minutes.
- Baking times vary based on oven differences; check with a toothpick for doneness.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
452kcal
(23%)
Carbohydrates
70g
(23%)
Protein
3g
(6%)
Fat
19g
(29%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
67mg
(22%)
Potassium
147mg
(3%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
60g
(120%)
Vitamin A
585IU
(12%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
94mg
(9%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 20Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 452 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 452kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 70g | 23% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 67mg | 22% |
| Potassium | 147mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 60g | 120% |
| Vitamin A | 585IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 94mg | 9% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
144 reviews
Excellent
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