Name: Southern Caramel Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 25 min
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: ½ cup salted butter, softened; ½ cup vegetable oil; 1½ cups granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract; 2¾ cups cake flour; 1½ teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1¼ cups sour cream, at room temperature; ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream, at room temperature; ¾ cup salted butter; 2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk; 2 cups granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

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A slice of three-layer Southern caramel cake lifted on a silver cake server

Southern caramel cake is three layers of tender sour cream vanilla cake filled and covered with cooked caramel icing. The icing starts with salted butter, evaporated milk, and granulated sugar, then simmers slowly until a cooled spoonful holds a spreadable shape. It makes a generous homemade celebration cake with 16 servings and plenty of caramel in every slice.

This is a cake to give some time, especially at the stove. The layers bake in three 8-inch pans at 325°F; the icing takes about 1½-2 hours of gentle simmering. Plan on cooling, stacking, and letting the icing set, too. For another celebration cake with a cooked frosting, try Homemade German Chocolate Cake.

Before You Start

Allow about 4½ hours as a planning estimate, with some layer cooling overlapping the caramel cooking. The tested recipe lists 30 minutes of prep and 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 25 minutes of cooking; cooling, assembly, and setting take additional time. Allow roughly 1-2 hours on wire racks after the initial 10-15 minutes in the pans, but wait until the layers feel completely cool before icing.

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Ingredients for sour cream vanilla cake and cooked caramel icing

Ingredients You'll Need

Salted butter
Vegetable oil
Granulated sugar
Large eggs and extra egg yolks, at room temperature
Pure vanilla extract
Cake flour
Baking powder
Kosher salt
Baking soda
Sour cream, at room temperature
Heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
Evaporated milk for the icing

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Use cake flour and measure it by spooning it into the cups and leveling without packing. Bring the cake's eggs, yolks, sour cream, and heavy cream to room temperature as directed. Pure vanilla extract flavors both components; Homemade Vanilla Extract is an option if you already have a fully matured batch ready for baking.

Canola oil can replace the vegetable oil. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream, although the texture may differ slightly. Evaporated milk is required for this icing; sweetened condensed milk is not an equivalent substitute.

This cooked icing is made to hold between layers and coat the cake. Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce is a separate pourable dessert sauce with a different formula; use the icing recipe here for assembling this cake.

Tools That Make It Easier

Three 9-inch round cake pans
Parchment paper
Fine-mesh sieve for sifting
Mixing bowls
Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
Dry measuring cups and measuring spoons
Liquid measuring cup
Flexible rubber spatula
Wire cooling racks
Toothpick for checking doneness
Large, heavy-bottomed saucepan
Wooden spoon for stirring and checking the icing
Small plate for the cooled icing test
Serving plate or cake stand wide enough for an 8-inch layer cake
Offset spatula

How to Make Southern Caramel Cake

1. Prepare the pans and mix the batter

Heat the oven to 325°F, grease three 8-inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and lightly flour the sides. Sift the dry ingredients into one bowl and stir the sour cream and heavy cream together in another.

Beat the butter and oil with the paddle for about 2 minutes, gradually add the sugar, and beat 4-5 minutes until lighter and fluffy. Add the whole eggs and then the yolks one at a time, mix in vanilla, and alternate three flour additions with two sour cream additions on low speed; finish by folding briefly with a flexible spatula.

Vanilla cake batter being folded in a mixing bowl

2. Bake, then cool the layers completely

Divide the batter evenly among the pans, smooth the tops, and bake 17-24 minutes, checking at 17 minutes. The centers should spring back lightly and a toothpick should have no wet batter; a few moist crumbs are fine.

Let the cakes stand in their pans 10-15 minutes, then turn them onto wire racks and remove the parchment. Cool completely before stacking; the 1-2 hour rack-cooling allowance is an estimate, so the feel of the layers matters more than the clock.

Three thick vanilla cake layers cooling on wire racks

3. Cook and test the caramel icing

Warm the salted butter, evaporated milk, and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and dissolved. Keep a gentle simmer for approximately 1½-2 hours, stirring frequently and nearly continuously as the icing thickens; scrape the bottom and corners and reduce the heat if it sticks or browns too quickly.

The icing should be golden brown and heavily coat the back of a spoon, with a cooled plate sample thickening to a spreadable consistency. Remove from the heat, carefully stir in vanilla, and cool 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally; allow longer if it still runs off the spatula.

Cooked caramel icing with a cooled consistency sample

4. Stack, frost, and let the icing set

Anchor the first cooled layer to the serving plate with a dab of icing, spread about one-fourth over it, and wait 5 minutes before adding the second layer. Cover that layer with another one-fourth, wait 5 minutes, and add the third layer.

Spread the remaining icing over the top and sides with an offset spatula, briefly warming it over low heat while stirring if it becomes too stiff. Let the finished cake stand at least 30 minutes so the icing sets before slicing.

Getting the Caramel Icing Ready to Spread

Ready icing spreads easily and holds its shape. Hot icing can look thinner than it will after cooling, which is why the small cooled sample is more useful than judging only what is bubbling in the pan.

A cooled sample stays runny: Continue cooking before assembling the cake. Extra cooling thickens properly cooked icing, but it does not replace the required cooking.
The icing runs off the spatula: Give it more cooling time and stir occasionally before spreading.
The icing becomes too stiff: Warm it briefly over low heat while stirring.
The layers start to shift: Check that the cake is completely cool and honor both 5-minute settling intervals rather than stacking everything at once.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let individual slices stand at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before serving so the cake and icing lose their refrigerator chill.

Can You Make It Ahead?

Unfrosted layers can be frozen for up to 3 months, individually wrapped in plastic wrap and foil; thaw them while wrapped. For finished slices, freeze until the icing is firm, wrap, and place in an airtight container for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The icing may become slightly sticky after thawing.

Three-layer caramel cake slice on a white plate

What to Serve with Southern Caramel Cake

Serve the cake at room temperature with coffee, unsweetened tea, or fresh berries. Smaller slices work well on a dessert buffet; for a larger gathering, these sweeter party drinks offer a separate serving option.

Coffee Punch

Southern Citrus Almond Sweet Tea

Blackberry Sweet Tea

For a holiday dessert table, browse Best Thanksgiving Desserts Beyond Pumpkin Pie for pies, chilled desserts, and small treats to serve alongside the cake.

A Couple of Baking Questions

Can I use 9-inch pans instead of 8-inch pans?

Use three 8-inch round pans for the layer thickness and baking times given in this recipe. Larger pans make thinner layers and would need a separate baking-time check.

Does the icing need a candy thermometer?

This tested method uses color and texture cues rather than a fixed thermometer temperature. Cook until golden brown, check that the icing heavily coats the spoon, and use the cooled plate sample before deciding it is ready.

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Recipe

Southern Caramel Cake

Print Recipe

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Southern caramel cake stacks three tender sour cream vanilla layers with slow-cooked caramel icing made from evaporated milk, salted butter, sugar, and vanilla.

Author: Jennifer Locklin
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 16 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cake

½ cup salted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups cake flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ cups sour cream, at room temperature
⅓ cup heavy whipping cream, at room temperature

For the Caramel Icing

¾ cup salted butter
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

Prep

Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and lightly flour the sides.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda into a bowl.
In a separate bowl, stir the sour cream and heavy cream together until smooth.

Mix and Bake

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter and oil on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
Gradually add the sugar, then beat for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture looks lighter in color and fluffy.
Reduce the speed to medium. Add the whole eggs and then the yolks, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape the bowl and paddle, then mix in the vanilla.
On low speed, add the flour mixture in three portions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two portions. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Stop mixing as soon as the batter comes together.
Fold the batter a few times with a flexible rubber spatula, checking the bottom of the bowl for unmixed ingredients. Divide evenly among the pans and smooth the tops.
Bake for 17-24 minutes, checking beginning at 17 minutes. The centers should spring back lightly, and a toothpick should come out without wet batter; a few moist crumbs are fine.
Leave the cakes in their pans for 10-15 minutes. Turn them out onto wire racks, remove the parchment, and cool completely.

Cook the Caramel Icing

Combine the butter, evaporated milk, and sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
Maintain a gentle simmer for approximately 1½-2 hours. Stir frequently, scraping the bottom and corners of the pan; stir nearly continuously as the mixture thickens. Lower the heat if it begins sticking or browning too quickly.
Continue cooking until the icing is golden brown and coats the back of a spoon heavily. A small spoonful cooled on a plate should thicken to a spreadable consistency rather than remain runny. Use these cues along with the cooking time.
Remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the vanilla.
Let the icing cool for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should spread easily while holding its shape. Allow additional cooling time if it still runs off the spatula.

Assemble

Secure the first cooled cake layer to a serving plate with a small dab of icing.
Spread about one-fourth of the icing across the layer. Wait 5 minutes before placing the second cake layer on top.
Cover the second layer with another one-fourth of the icing. Allow it to settle for 5 minutes, then add the final layer.
Spread the remaining icing over the top and sides with an offset spatula. If the icing becomes too stiff to spread, warm it briefly over low heat while stirring.
Let the finished cake stand for at least 30 minutes so the icing can set before slicing.

Notes

Substitutions: Canola oil can replace the vegetable oil. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream, although the cake's texture may differ slightly. Use evaporated milk for the icing; do not substitute the sweetened condensed variety.
Measuring flour: Spoon the cake flour into measuring cups and level the tops without packing.
Icing consistency: Cooling thickens properly cooked icing. If a cooled sample remains thin, continue cooking the icing before assembling the cake.
Serving: Serve at room temperature with coffee, unsweetened tea, or fresh berries. Cut smaller slices for a dessert buffet.
Storage: Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let individual slices stand at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before serving.
Freezing: Freeze unfrosted layers, individually wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw while wrapped. For finished cake slices, freeze until the icing is firm, then wrap and place in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; the icing may become slightly sticky after thawing.
Planning estimate: Allow about 1-2 hours on wire racks after the initial 10-15 minutes in the pans; complete cooling is the deciding cue. The approximate 4-hour-30-minute total allows for overlapping layer cooling with icing cooking, 15-20 minutes of icing cooling, up to about 30 minutes for assembly including the two 5-minute settling intervals, and at least 30 minutes of final setting. Cooling and assembly times are planning estimates, not tested fixed durations. Supplied cook-time range: 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 25 minutes; the card uses its upper bound.

Southern Caramel Cake

Before You Start

Ingredients You'll Need

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Tools That Make It Easier