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Old School style Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting. Taking a step back into our grandma’s youth with this DELICIOUS butter cake. Picture a buttery vanilla cake layered with rich, fudgy, chocolate frosting in the center. Then topped with the most delectable, roll your eyes back good – brown sugar frosting that’s sweet and creamy with notes of caramel mixed throughout. Sooo much to love here! Every bite is sweet, salty, extra chocolatey, and truly delicious. The perfect cake to enjoy any day of the week, no “celebratory” reasons required.
Taking it back to the old school days with this cake…or at least that’s what it feels like to me! Growing up my mom made cakes religiously. Come Friday night we’d have fresh baked cookies, cake, or some other kind of dessert on the counter without a doubt. She was the queen of the Friday night dessert.
No matter what the dessert was, we’d always eat them a little warm and gooey, just after baking. Oh, and always with a cold glass of milk. Baking in the kitchen with mom on Friday nights was such a special time. More times than not my brothers would be MIA, so it was just mom and me. My memories of those Friday nights are so fond and perfect. To this day, they are some of my favorites.
My mom would often bake up a classic chocolate cake, it was everyone’s favorite. What she wouldn’t bake however was any kind of vanilla cake. They were just not her thing. But, my grandma on the other hand? She’d bake up any flavor of cake…chocolate or vanilla, it just had to be easy.
While I don’t remember the exact cakes my Nonnie would bake, this feels like something she would have happily made. Something about a vanilla butter cake, with a super easy (secret ingredient) chocolate frosting, and a sweet brown sugar icing overtop just feels “old school” to me.
Like something she might have found in one of her Better Homes and Garden Magazine’s back in the day. I can literally picture the torn-out magazine page now…
How many of you have super, super old magazine cutouts your mom gave you with recipes? Please cherish those FOREVER. I wish I had more of them!
When my cousin, Maggie mentioned a butter cake yesterday, I was really curious about the idea. And then I got thinking and loved the idea of doing some kind of “old school” style cake.
So here we are!
And everyone? This cake is GOOD, and it’s even pretty easy.
Here are the details, start with the cake.
Start with the vanilla butter cake. I kind of based this off my tiramisu cake, but with a few adjustments. Either way, it’s easy…just beat the wet ingredients together, add the dry, and then beat in some buttermilk.
I always go heavy on the vanilla with my cakes. It’s KEY, so don’t skimp on it.
The chocolate frosting.
While the cake is cooling, you can start making the chocolate fudge frosting. Now this really IS old school. It’s simply just melted chocolate chips and sour cream. I also added espresso powder, which really highlights the chocolate.
For having just three ingredients, this is some of the most magical frosting. Very creamy, rich, and fudgy. And I love that it’s not too sweet, but just sweet enough.
Now, spread the frosting over one layer of the cake. Add the top layer, then chill the cake while you make the brown sugar icing.
Last thing…the brown sugar icing.
I stole this recipe from my chai cupcakes with brown sugar frosting. It’s the same recipe, only this is melted down into more of an icing/glaze…which yes, also feels very old school.
The brown sugar melted down adds hints of warm molasses and really deepens the flavor to create an icing that’s perfectly rich and caramel-like. And when you add a touch of vanilla and sea salt? Well, it’s hard to say no to a second piece. I highly recommend slathering on more icing than you think your cake needs.
Also, you’ll want to swirl on the icing while it’s still warm, once it cools it will stiffen up.
To finish, I topped my cake with chocolate curls and sea salt for a salty-sweet finish.
And that’s it. Honestly, this cake is pretty simple to put together. There are three “steps”, but they’re all very easy. And so very good. Each bite is filled with sweet vanilla butter cake, fudgy chocolate frosting, and sweet caramel-like brown sugar icing.
Best kind of any day cake to bake, no reason required. Although it is my Dad’s birthday today…but he’s not big on celebrating it!
Looking for other easy winter desserts? Here are some favorites:
Brown Butter Malted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Lastly, if you make this Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 809 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
Brown Sugar frosting
- 2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans and line with parchment paper. 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stream in the buttermilk, beating until just combined. Pour the batter among the 2 cake pans.3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the center is just set. Let cool 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert the cake onto a plate, flip it back over onto a serving plate. Let cool.4. To make the chocolate frosting. Microwave the chocolate chips and a pinch of salt, stirring every 45 seconds, until melted. Stir in the sour cream and espresso, a dollop at a time, until the mixture is smooth. Swirl the frosting onto the top of the cake. Place the second cake layer on top. Run a knife around the side of the cake to clean up any frosting. Chill while you make the brown sugar frosting.5. To make the brown sugar frosting. Melt together the butter, brown sugar, and cream in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Add a pinch of salt. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sift in the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla. Beat until well combined. The frosting should be glossy and pourable. If it feels too runny, add powdered sugar to thicken it.6. Pour the frosting over the cake, spreading around the sides of the cake too. The frosting will set quickly on the cake. If desired top with chocolate curls and sea salt. Slice, eat, and enjoy!!
Notes
This post was originally published on February 19, 2021
My cake was very dense. What did I do wrong??
Hey Casey,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, was there anything you may have adjusted? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Really loved this cake. The semi sweet chips cut some of the sweetness from the caramel frosting making it just the perfect amount of sweetness.
Hey Sara,
I am so thrilled this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a try!! xTieghan
This cake is AMAZING!!! IT was so moist, tasty and the chocolate layer with that caramel icing is wow, party in my mouth! I will definitely be making this again, followed the directions exactly and turned out just like the pic! Thanks for the amazing recipe!!
Hey Meg,
Thanks a bunch for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
The cake and chocolate frosting are amazing!! I did have issues with the Carmel frosting. It was really grainy but also runny and I don’t know what I did wrong! I checked the reviews and it looks like other people had this issue so I added more powdered sugar and it was still runny. I’ll probably just make a standard buttercream next time
Hey Alexandra,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, so sorry to hear about the frosting. Was there anything you may have adjusted? It is hard to say what exactly went wrong without seeing the results. xTieghan
After reading the comments, I was tempted to halve the caramel frosting. So glad that I stick with the original recipe. My whole family loved it. The cake was so delicious– thanks for another stellar recipe. I am tempted to make it again with chocolate cake. Then again with caramel cake. Then again, with…
Hey Maura,
Thanks a bunch for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it’s good! However, I had trouble with the frosting sliding down the side of the cake. Next time I’ll probably have to add more powdered sugar ( I used around 2.5 cups). I’m not a huge fan of the semi-sweet chocolate w/ sour cream mixture but that could be adjusted to personal preference. Overall, it’s a tasty cake and my family enjoyed it.
Hey Megan,
Thanks for trying the recipe, so sorry to hear about the frosting, sounds like you needed some powdered sugar:) xTieghan
Delicious cake!! My family was very impressed. I ended up halving the top frosting ingredients. When in the mixer, I added 1/2 cups of powdered sugar at a time for a total of 1 1/12 cups. I added an extra Tablespoon of heavy cream while it mixed to get it to the consistency of a frosting. It was perfect! Next time I’d try making the fudge with something other than sour cream, some people were not a fan of the taste. Very impressive cake and easy to make!
Hey Jessica,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have great week:) xTieghan
Hi. If I only have one 8in springform pan, can I bake all of the dough at once and cut the cake in half or would you recommend splitting the dough and baking one at a time? Cant wait to try this recipe!
Hey Jo,
Just because I have never tested this before, I would recommend splitting the batter and baking one at a time. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I found that the chocolate middle layer quantity made too much to use in the cake and went to waste. Cake was good texture and flavors!
Hey Kathryn,
So sorry about this! Thanks for trying the recipe. xTieghan
Hi, I’m very excited to try this recipe, sounds wonderful! However, I do not have a stand mixer, only a hand mixer. Do you have any recommendations for this change or mixing by hand?
Thanks so much!
Hey Kendra,
Totally fine to use a hand mixer here. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how the cake turns out! xTieghan
delicious, except the sour cream in the chocolate frosting made it taste like it was spoiled, so my husband and I ended up eating around the chocolate, which was the part I was looking forward to the most!
Hey Brooke,
Thanks for trying the recipe, so sorry you did not enjoy the sour cream. xTieghan
New Favorite Cake! I loved the flavor of the cake, very moist and paired well with the chocolate and caramel. I will definitely use this cake as a go-to and try mixing up the frosting!
Hey Angela,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Happy Friday! xTieghan
This cake comes together quick and is DELICIOUS. I’m excited to make it again and perfect it! The carmel icing sets quick- work quickly and try not to mess with it too much. Next time I make this I plan to pour the icing on the cake over a wire wrack and sheet pan, let the icing totally set and then transfer the cake to a cake plate. I think it would have been a prettier finished product this way!
Hey Katelyn,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Happy Friday! xTieghan
My boyfriend is finally a believer in cakes after this recipe. So delicious!
Hey Rachel,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Happy Friday! xTieghan
Is it possible to replace the sour cream with greek yogurt or would the result not be the same? Thanks!
Hey Alina,
I have not tested with greek yogurt, but I think it should work well for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan