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Old Fashioned Caramel Cake is the nostalgic southern dessert of a moist vanilla sheet cake under a thick layer of rich, cooked caramel frosting. This is the cake my family asks for every holiday and Sunday supper, and it disappears square by square. If you love our old fashioned cinnamon tea cakes, this caramel cake is the next from scratch classic to add to your dessert table.
Moist, buttery, and crowned with real homemade caramel, this old fashioned caramel cake tastes just like grandma used to make.
Old Fashioned Caramel Cake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 32 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 5 hours
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 566kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Moist vanilla cake under a rich, old fashioned caramel frosting
- ✋ Difficulty: Intermediate, on par with our chocolate caramel cake
Quick Answer
To make Old Fashioned Caramel Cake, beat butter and oil with brown and granulated sugar, then mix in eggs, vanilla, and alternating additions of flour and buttermilk. Bake the batter in a 9×13 dish at 350 degrees F until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool. For the caramel frosting, melt brown sugars and butter, whisk in evaporated milk and cream, simmer, then beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread it over the cooled cake and let it set.
Jump to:
- Old Fashioned Caramel Cake Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Old Fashioned Caramel Cake
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Old Fashioned Caramel Cake FAQs
- Other Recommended Cake Recipes
- Old Fashioned Caramel Cake Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Brown sugar in the cake. Using mostly brown sugar in the batter gives the vanilla cake a warm, caramel undertone.
- Buttermilk keeps it moist. Tangy buttermilk makes the cake tender and moist with a soft, fine crumb.
- A real cooked caramel frosting. Melting brown sugars and butter into a true caramel gives the frosting that classic, old fashioned flavor you cannot get from a can.
- Two brown sugars. Light and dark brown sugar together give the frosting deep molasses richness and the perfect caramel color.
- Evaporated milk and cream. This combination makes the caramel frosting silky, rich, and pourable so it spreads smoothly over the cake.
- Letting it set. Resting the frosted cake at room temperature lets the caramel firm up into that signature fudgy, sliceable topping.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A southern classic. This is the nostalgic caramel cake your grandma used to make, full of old fashioned flavor.
- Real homemade caramel. The cooked caramel frosting tastes worlds better than store bought, like the frosting on our chocolate caramel cake.
- An easy sheet cake. Baked in a 9×13 dish, it is simple to make, frost, and serve to a crowd.
Key Ingredients
Here is a look at what goes into this old fashioned caramel cake. The brown sugars are the secret to that deep caramel flavor.
- Brown Sugars: Light brown sugar sweetens the cake, and a mix of light and dark brown sugar gives the caramel frosting its rich, deep flavor.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes the vanilla cake wonderfully moist and tender with a soft crumb.
- Butter and Oil: A combination of butter and oil gives the cake great flavor while keeping it moist for days.
- Evaporated Milk and Heavy Cream: These make the cooked caramel frosting silky, creamy, and easy to spread.
- Powdered Sugar and Vanilla: Sifted powdered sugar thickens the caramel frosting and vanilla rounds out the flavor, like our lemon cake frosting.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This caramel cake is a classic, but here are a few ways to make it your own.
- Add nuts: Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans over the frosting for a praline twist.
- Layer cake: Bake the batter in two round pans for a stacked, frosted layer cake.
- A pinch of salt: Add flaky sea salt on top for a salted caramel flavor.
- Spice it up: Add a little cinnamon to the batter for a warm, spiced cake.
- Buttermilk swap: No buttermilk? Stir a tablespoon of lemon juice into regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
How to Make Old Fashioned Caramel Cake
- Stir together the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
- Beat the butter and oil together, then add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat for 3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk in alternating batches, mixing until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a 9×13 dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 28 to 32 minutes, then cool completely.
- Melt the brown sugars and butter in a saucepan, whisk in the evaporated milk and cream, and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Beat in the powdered sugar a little at a time, then stir in the vanilla until smooth.
- Spread the caramel frosting over the cooled cake and let it sit at room temperature for about 4 hours to set.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cool the cake completely. Make sure the cake is fully cool before frosting so the caramel does not melt and slide off.
- Whisk the caramel constantly. Keep whisking while the caramel cooks so the sugars melt evenly and do not scorch.
- Work quickly with the frosting. Caramel frosting firms up as it cools, so spread it over the cake right away while it is still pourable.
- Sift the powdered sugar. Sifting prevents lumps and keeps the frosting silky smooth.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature eggs and buttermilk blend into a smoother, more even batter.
- Let it set fully. Give the frosting the full few hours to set so it slices into clean, fudgy pieces.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Old fashioned caramel cake is a showstopper at any gathering, from Sunday supper to holiday dessert tables. Serve generous squares with a cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee alongside our old fashioned cinnamon tea cakes for a nostalgic dessert spread.
For a bigger dessert table, pair it with other from scratch cakes like our lemon cake and Italian love cake so there is a little something for everyone.
This cake is rich, so a small square goes a long way. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side makes it feel even more special, much like our chocolate caramel cake.
Old Fashioned Caramel Cake FAQs
Buttermilk gives this caramel cake its signature moist, tender crumb and a subtle tang, so it is recommended. If you do not have any, stir a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a cup of regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to make a quick substitute.
Grainy caramel frosting usually means the sugar did not fully dissolve or it cooled too much before spreading. Whisk constantly while it cooks, sift the powdered sugar, and spread the frosting on the cake while it is still warm and pourable.
Store caramel cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The caramel frosting keeps it moist, and you can bring slices to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Yes. Freeze the frosted cake, well wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then let it come to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze the unfrosted cake and make the caramel frosting fresh.
Dark brown sugar has more molasses than light brown sugar, which gives it a deeper color and a richer, more intense caramel flavor. Using it in the frosting is what gives this old fashioned caramel cake its classic taste and color.
Yes. Divide the batter between two round cake pans and adjust the bake time, checking for doneness a few minutes early. Cool the layers completely, then stack and frost them with the caramel frosting for a beautiful layer cake.
Love a from scratch cake? Our Chocolate Caramel Cake is the next sweet bake to add to your list.
For the creamiest topping, whip up our 4 ingredient cream cheese frosting.
Craving something cozy? Our pecan cobbler is best served warm with ice cream.
Round out a Southern dessert spread with our bananas foster, a buttery New Orleans favorite.
Building a cake spread? Add our chocolate tres leches cake, an ultra moist make ahead favorite.
Old Fashioned Caramel Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temp
For the frosting:
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup salted butter cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour and baking soda.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Mix the butter and oil in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until combined. You can also do this in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer.1/2 cup salted butter, 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat them together on medium speed for 3 minutes.3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Next, mix in the egg and vanilla.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add half of the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Next, add half of the buttermilk and stir until combined. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk, scraping down the sides as needed.1 cup buttermilk
- Add the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 28-32 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely.
- Once the cake is cool, make the frosting. Place the light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and butter into a medium-sized saucepot.3/4 cup light brown sugar, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 3/4 cup salted butter
- Place the pot over medium heat and whisk constantly until the butter and the sugars are melted.
- Pour in the evaporated milk, then the heavy cream, whisk to combine.1/4 cup evaporated milk, 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Bring to a simmer and simmer for 4 minutes; it will start to thicken. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time using an electric hand mixer until fully mixed in.1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Stir in the vanilla.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the frosting on top of the cake, and spread it out evenly.
- Allow to sit at room temperature for about 4 hours until the frosting is set.
- Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for a smooth cake batter.
- Mix on low speed at first, then go to medium speed for a fluffy texture.
- Always scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure everything gets mixed.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack before adding frosting.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top of the cake.
- Try the toothpick test—when it comes out clean, the cake is done!
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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These were so much fun to make and tasted delicious.
It would last about 5 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. However, it will become stiff when it becomes cold and not spreadable.
I am wondering. I would like to make a double batch of this icing.
How long can I keep in the refrig. Also, can I freeze it. Looking forward to your answer