Homemade Caramel Cake

My Real Deal Caramel Cake is celebrated across the internet for good reason—it’s genuinely the best out there! It has been the top caramel cake recipe online for over a decade. Here’s what sets it apart: a rich, buttery yellow cake base, made from scratch, is enveloped in the ultimate caramel icing, a recipe passed down from my Mississippi-born Aunt Beverly. This icing is meticulously cooked over the stove until it achieves a perfect, sticky-silky consistency. With its authentic flavors and a helpful video plus step-by-step images to guide you, this recipe is as genuine as it gets—they don’t call it “the real deal” for nothing!

It’s simply the best! It takes me right back to the South, to my cousin Bert’s house, where a caramel cake was a staple at every family gathering!

People from the South recognize that an old-fashioned caramel cake is a true treasure. It’s a time-honored treat that demands patience, passion, and expertise—not something to be taken lightly. Southern culinary tradition holds that not everyone is cut out to make this cake, which is why I’m excited to share a recipe that has been a staple in my family for generations.

Interestingly, many people only discovered caramel cake after it was featured in the movie “The Help.” Following the film’s release, countless versions appeared online, yet none seemed to capture the authentic essence of the original. Here’s why this recipe is often called the “real deal”:

• Moist Cake: When baked correctly without overdoing it, you’ll achieve an exceptionally moist, slightly dense yet airy yellow butter cake. It forms the ideal base for the richly enticing caramel.
• Caramel Icing: This icing is why people keep coming back for more, wondering about your secret! It requires a dedicated effort. Although the ingredients are straightforward, perfecting it demands full attention and no compromises.
• No Shortcuts: This Southern caramel cake is made entirely from scratch, with no shortcuts. We take this seriously! If you come across any recipe suggesting brown sugar for the caramel—keep moving! That’s not the authentic method embraced by true Southern bakers.

Ingredients You Will Need to Make Southern Caramel Cake from Scratch

For the Moist Caramel Cake Batter:

• Butter: Adds a buttery, tender texture to the cake. Use room temperature, unsalted butter to control the salt content.
• Vegetable Oil: To prevent the cake from drying out, a touch of neutral-flavored oil keeps it moist.
• Granulated Sugar: When creamed with butter, sugar lends structure, texture, and just the right level of sweetness.
• Flour: Use cake flour for a lighter texture, sifting it to prevent too much gluten development.
• Eggs: Essential for binding and providing structure, eggs also contribute to the cake’s rich flavor and color. Including a couple of extra yolks adds moisture.
• Baking Powder and Salt: These ingredients help the cake rise and add fluffiness, while salt enhances the flavor of desserts.
• Sour Cream: Imparts moisture and a slight tanginess to the cake.
• Vanilla Extract: Choose high-quality vanilla extract for a pronounced, aromatic vanilla flavor.

For the Caramel Cake Icing:

• Butter: Use salted butter as the foundation of the caramel, enhancing its richness.
• Evaporated Milk: Adds creaminess and a smooth, silky texture to the caramel as it thickens.
• Granulated Sugar: Essential for the sticky, sweet characteristic of caramel.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle, aromatic note to round out the icing’s flavor.

Serving Suggestions for Classic Caramel Cake

• With Ice Cream or Whipped Cream: Although the caramel cake is delicious on its own, adding a side of homemade vanilla ice cream or whipped cream can enhance the flavors wonderfully.
• Southern Sunday Dinner: This homemade caramel cake pairs perfectly with a hearty Southern meal featuring fried chicken, collard greens, candied yams, black-eyed peas, and hot water cornbread.
• Thanksgiving Feast: Complete a sumptuous Thanksgiving meal of fried turkey, honey-glazed ham, cornbread dressing, and Southern green beans with this caramel cake, accompanied by sweet potato pie.
• Birthday Celebrations: Opt for something unique by serving caramel cake at your next birthday party.
• Ultimate Southern Dessert Table: Ideal for a wedding shower or book club, set up a dessert buffet featuring caramel cake along with Southern peach cobbler, cream cheese pound cake, and hummingbird cake.

Recipe Variations

• Butter: Use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt to the icing, or if using salted butter, omit the salt from the cake batter.
• Sour Cream: If you’re out of sour cream, substitute it with buttermilk or plain Greek yogurt for similar tanginess and moisture.
• Cake Flour: Create your own cake flour using all-purpose flour mixed with cornstarch. Follow the instructions on how to make cake flour for best results.
• Baking Powder: If you don’t have baking powder, you can make a substitute by mixing 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.

Homemade Caramel Cake

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

• Cake Ingredients:
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
• ⅓ cup of vegetable oil
• 2½ cups of granulated sugar
• 3 cups of sifted cake flour
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract
• Caramel Icing Ingredients:
• 1½ sticks of butter
• 2 (12 ounce) cans of evaporated milk
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, oil, and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Incorporate the vanilla extract.
5. In a separate bowl, combine sifted cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. On a slow mixer setting, add the dry ingredients alternately with sour cream, mixing just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
7. Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans by spraying with baking spray and lightly flouring.
8. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on cooling racks for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool completely before icing.

For the Caramel Icing:

1. Combine butter, evaporated milk, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and integrated.
2. Continue to cook on medium to low heat, stirring periodically, for about 1½-2 hours or until the mixture has thickened and turned a golden brown, resembling the color in the reference photo.
3. Ensure the caramel coats the back of a spoon before removing from heat.
4. Stir in vanilla extract and allow the icing to cool for about 15-20 minutes before using it to ice the cake. This prevents the vanilla from cooking off.