🍰 Southern Caramel Cake
A true Southern classic — tender yellow cake layers covered in rich, cooked caramel icing that melts into the cake.
🧁 Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
🍯 Southern Caramel Icing (Cooked Caramel Frosting)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- ½ cup evaporated milk (or whole milk)
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two or three 9-inch round cake pans.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3–5 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to the batter, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla.
- Divide evenly into pans and bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
2️⃣ Make the Caramel Icing
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add brown sugar and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stir in evaporated milk and bring to a gentle boil. Cook 1–2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool about 10–15 minutes (it should still be warm but not hot).
- Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and spreadable.
⚠️ Work quickly — this icing thickens fast!
🍰 Assemble
- Frost between layers and over the top and sides.
- If icing starts to firm up, gently warm it while stirring.
💡 Tips for Success
- Use room temperature ingredients for a tender crumb.
- If frosting gets too thick, add a tablespoon of warm milk.
- For extra richness, toast a handful of chopped pecans and press onto the sides.
If you’d like, I can also share the old-fashioned 7-minute caramel icing version (the one that takes patience but tastes like Grandma’s).
