Description
A recipe for a moist, buttery layer cake featuring rich caramel frosting and a distinct, crunchy toffee topping for textural contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for caramel sauce)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (for caramel sauce)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (for caramel sauce)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for frosting)
- 1/2 cup softened butter (for frosting)
- 1/4 cup prepared caramel sauce (for frosting)
- 1 cup toffee bits or crushed hard toffee candy (for crunch)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the caramel sauce: Combine 1 cup sugar, heavy cream, 4 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring. Cook until the mixture turns a deep amber color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in 1/4 cup of the sauce into the remaining cake batter for extra flavor if desired, or reserve all sauce for assembly. Let cool slightly.
- Make the frosting: Beat the powdered sugar and 1/2 cup softened butter until smooth. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of the cooled caramel sauce until the frosting is light and spreadable.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of caramel frosting over the top. Sprinkle half of the toffee bits over the frosting. Place the second cake layer on top.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining caramel frosting. Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the top edge, allowing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle the remaining toffee bits over the top.
- Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing to set the frosting and caramel.
Notes
- For a saltier contrast, use salted butter in the cake batter.
- If you prefer a crunchier texture, use crushed pretzels instead of toffee bits.
- If the caramel sauce thickens too much while cooling, gently reheat it on low heat before drizzling.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 55g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 85mg