Gooey Caramel Cake

Caramel and cake are two of my favorite foods.  It’s just perfect to combine the two.  My little guy just had a birthday and I couldn’t decide on the perfect cake UNTIL I found this little number.  It’s no secret that I’m in love with caramel so naturally I made this A-MA-ZING cake.  It was so good that I had a mini grief session after watching the last slice disappear.
gooey caramel cake on a slate blue plate covered in caramel buttercream and ready to be cut
Oh YES!

It was almost too pretty to cut.  But I did and here she is again…

gooey caramel cake on a cake plate covered in oozing caramel and topped with fluffy caramel buttercream side shot of a slice
Gooey Caramel Cake
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I wish I could take credit for this Gooey Caramel Cake but it’s from Ms. Deen’s website.  Her son came up with this glorious concoction of butter, cream, and some toasty sugar.

I don’t mess around when it comes to making caramel properly.  None of this margarine and fake sugar crap!  I also turn my nose up at popping a can of sweetened condensed milk in a slow cooker to make caramel cream.  Yuck!  Real caramel is not that hard to make.  If you take the time to do it right, you’ll be rewarded with a delicious treat!

All you need is a candy thermometer.  They come in digital and glass form.


If you’re a caramel lover, you NEED to make this.  Enjoy!

If you’re in the mood for just caramel instead of caramel cake, here is a link to my recipe for Sea Salt Caramels.  Be careful, they’re very addicting!

Make sure you’re ready with lots and lots of butter!

 

Gooey Caramel Cake

For the cake:
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
1 cup butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
16 oz confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Cream butter and sugar about 10 minutes until fluffy.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until mixed.  Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.  Divide batter equally among prepared pans.  Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

For the filling:

In a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Remove cake layers from oven and invert one of the cakes onto plate or cake stand. Pierce cake layer with a fork over entire surface. Spread 1/3 of filling on cake layer. Repeat the process with the second and third layer.

For the frosting:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat with a hand-held electric mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency.
pin image gooey caramel cake on www.sugarbananas.com
Be prepared to sit down to enjoy this deliciousness.  Gooey Caramel Cake is one of the best desserts I’ve ever made.
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48 Responses

  8. Oh…..I am not only a cake lover but a Paula Dean lover. I just recently made her Key Lime Pie. Though it tasted good, I know I didn't do it right….long story. I will have to try this one. I just started a new recipe link party. Can you check it out and link up if you have time?

  14. @Sarah – Let the filling cool down a bit (and thicken). Once you pour it over the cake, pop the whole thing in the fridge to let it all set. I did this and made the caramel icing the next day.

    If you're still having no luck, try the caramel recipe I posted for sea salt caramels and only heat the mixture to 225F on the candy thermometer…then pour it over the cake after it cools about a minute.

    Hope that helps!

  17. Wow, this looks so good! Thanks!
    I need your help! I need you to vote! Please go to the Kristi Approved face book page and first push the like button at the top of the page and then go to the left column and under pictures push see all and then find my picture and then make a comment! You can't make a comment unless you like the Kristi Approved facebook first! Tell any one else you know on face book to vote too! I will win $1000 so I so want to win!!! A few more votes will make the difference in winning!

  27. You had me at the picture and then at caramel…and I love everything you said about making caramel…I feel like I have met my on-line twin!!!! I absolutely loved your post and will find a way to make this cake tonight! I am a follower- that's what you get when you talk about caramel, cake, and Paula Deen in one post! lol

  37. I'm a fan of anything in which caramel is part of the equation. This looks so pretty and I know it was delicious. Thanks for linking the recipe.
    Hope you'll stop in to see me over at the QCI blog where I'm sharing a tea party for Sunday Favorites.
    ~ Sarah

  43. Hi Sarah…

    Ohh my goodness! Your caramel cake looks soooo yummy! I love caramel too…this cake is right up my "sweet tooth" alley…let me tell ya! Hehe! Thank you for sharing the recipe with us today for Sunday Favorites…what a treat! Hmm…now I'm really hungry! Hehe!

    Warmest autumn wishes,
    Chari @Happy To Design

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