Caramel Cake

If you are looking for a cake that is luxurious, but simple, without any complicated decorating, this is the cake for you. This caramel cake features an easy to make brown sugar sponge, and is topped with a homemade caramel sauce, turned into a whipped filling and topping for a light texture packed full of flavour.

Notes from The Patisserie

This cake is a mixture of all things I adore, and yet it’s quite simple. If you are a caramel lover like me, this whipped caramel cake is going to become an instant favourite. With two layers of soft and fluffy brown sugar sponges that are sandwiched with a whipped caramel, you will adore it.

The combination of a brown sugar cake and a homemade caramel (with an optional addition of salt) creates a light and moist cake that isn’t heavy to eat, it’s beautifully golden and is great for all occasions. Whether you want to bake for a birthday, a celebration, because you just fancy a cake or even an afternoon tea, it’s ideal.

You will love this recipe because it’s made with simple ingredients, you have learnt a new skill in making caramel (if you haven’t before) and discovering a wonderful alternative to buttercream or ganache.

Making the brown sugar cake

For a cake like this, you have five simple ingredients that are easily accessible, or easy to create yourself at home. You can find the full recipe in the recipe card below

• Butter – for a sponge mix, you can use a block unsalted butter at room temperature, or you can use a baking spread/margarine. Both work totally fine so it’s down to personal preference
• Sugar – for the best flavour, it’s ideal to use either light brown soft sugar, or dark brown soft sugar, or even a 50/50 mix of the two so you are somewhere in the middle of the flavour profile. I used light brown as I always have it in the cupboards and I like the taste.
• Eggs – I used medium eggs, so I used five. If you have large eggs, I would use four
• Flour – I used self raising flour as it’s a readily available ingredient in the UK and ideal of a simple cake sponge like this. You can use plain flour and baking powder to make your own, but I would use plain flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder, whisked into the flour before using in the cake mixture
• Buttermilk – this add’s a world of moisture to your sponge, but you do not have to buy it. You can if you want, and that is totally fine, but I find it easier to use whole milk + 1 tsp of lemon juice. I add the lemon juice to the milk and let it sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe

A delightful homemade caramel sauce

I will say that I have not tested the recipe using a pre-made caramel, and seeing how that whips. I always wanted to make my own and I think you should all make your own as well.

• Sugar – when making a caramel I always use granulated sugar. It’s typically the cheapest caramel to buy, and works wonders in a caramel sauce.
• Water – It’s important to measure this accurately. I use scales, as the gram weight is the same as the ml measure for water – so I weigh 75g of water into a bowl.
• Cream – I use double cream – this fat content is important for whipping the caramel later on – use authentic cream and not a long-life cream as it’s not as good.
• Butter – it’s important to use real block butter for a sauce like this. You need pure butter and not a spread that is made of oils for a caramel sauce
• Vanilla – the vanilla is optional, but I love adding a dash of vanilla bean extract for the flecks of vanilla throughout the caramel, but also the balance of flavour it brings to the caramel
• Salt – the salt is also optional, but personally I love the balance it brings. I tend to use sea salt, and if you are nervous – only add a tiny bit. It just helps balance the natural sweetness

Assembling and decorating a cake

The caramel itself may seem super complicated to some, but I have purposely tried to make it as simple as possible to make. Once you have successfully made it, you must let it sit and thicken to be able to be whipped.

I generally make my caramel whilst my cake is in the oven, so it can set and cool whilst the cake also cools. You can speed it up by putting the room temperature caramel in the fridge, and trying to whip it every now and again until it thickens and holds itself.

Once thickened, I spread half of the whipped caramel over the first sponge, layer on the second sponge, and then spread the last half on top. I swirl through a little caramel sauce I took out of the bowl after it was made, but this is optional.

The whipped caramel can be used to pipe, but as it’s quite soft it may compress down a bit if you add anything heavy on top (such as for the middle layer of cake). It works wonderfully for other desserts, cupcakes, or even to dip apples into if you want.

FAQs

Storage and freezing

This cake and the whipped caramel is safe to store at room temperature on a cooler day, for 2-3 days – the whipped caramel is safe on it’s own to stay in the fridge to retain a firmer texture however if you only make that.

The cake can freeze for 3+ months, and I would thaw it in the fridge overnight.