Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing

This buttermilk cake with caramel icing is top rated for a reason: It’s easy to make and always results in an incredibly tender cake with the perfect amount of sweet brown sugar icing. There is something inherently special about a Bundt cake, from its tall rise to its baked-in decorative flourish that ensures it looks as good as it tastes, and this recipe is no exception.

The dense texture and firm cooked icing make it a great go-to recipe for an unexpected potluck dessert, a cake to celebrate a special event or a sweet afternoon treat with a cup of tea. Now that you have the perfect recipe, bake it in a gorgeous, fancy Bundt cake pan and let the compliments roll in.

Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing Ingredients

• Butter
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Buttermilk
• Brown sugar
• Heavy whipping cream
• Confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare the cake pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan.

Step 2: Make the cake batter

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk (the batter will be thick). Transfer to the prepared cake pan.

Step 3: Bake the cake

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Make the icing

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Spoon the icing over the cake.

Editor’s Tip: Let the cake cool completely before topping it with the icing so it doesn’t soak into the cake or melt and slide off.

How to Store Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing

Leftover cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or on a covered cake stand for five to seven days. If you have only one or two slices left, try this clever cake storage trick: Place a slice on the inside of the storage container’s lid and top with the container so the cake doesn’t get smashed.

Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing Tips

What’s the best way to grease a tube or Bundt pan?

To ensure a thorough and even coating inside all the grooves of your tube or Bundt pan, rub slightly softened butter or solid shortening over each ridge inside the pan using a pastry brush or butter wrapper. Don’t forget to grease around the center tube as well. Dusting the greased pan with flour can also help prevent sticking, so the cake releases in one piece.

Can you make buttermilk cake with caramel icing without a Bundt pan?

You can easily convert this cake into a sheet cake by baking it in a 13×9-inch pan. Since the pan is shallower, the cake will bake faster than in a Bundt pan, so keep an eye on it and start checking for doneness when the top looks dry, puffed and golden. You will need to double the icing recipe to ensure there’s enough to cover the whole cake.

What is the best way to release a cake that is stuck to the pan?

If the cake doesn’t easily pop out of the pan, try flipping the cake pan onto a towel and gently banging the pan edges to help loosen it. If it still won’t budge, use a thin offset spatula to separate the cake from the pan around the edges and center, set the flipped pan on a wire rack and step away for 10 to 15 minutes for gravity to take over. Remove any stuck bits of cake from the pan and press it into the missing spots. Or, just use more icing to cover the divets.

Watch How to Make Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing

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