Published: · Modified: by Rebecca Blackwell · This post may contain affiliate links · 157 Comments
Rich caramel cake covered in a thick layer of silky smooth, not-too-sweet salted caramel Italian meringue buttercream.
{Note} For a gluten free version of this cake, please check out this Gluten Free Birthday Cake Recipe.Same delicious salted caramel flavor minus the gluten!
If you've never had Italian Meringue Buttercream, you are missing out on a great pleasure and should rectify the situation immediately. Like, today.
It's sublimely smooth, rich and ethereal, and not too sweet. I've never met anyone who doesn't love it - even the "non-frosting" people (you know who you are). I should know. I'm a "non-frosting" person myself.
Even as a kid, I would eat the cake and leave the frosting on my plate untouched. Don't get me wrong. I certainly have a sweet tooth. But, when it comes to dessert, I much prefer rich to super sweet.
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Cotton candy has never tempted me, but I can't resist a bowl of rich ice cream or gelato.
I've never been a fan of sugary drinks (cool-aid, sweet tea, sweet wine or co*cktails - bleh!), but a steamy rich mug of bittersweet hot cocoa always sounds divine. When it comes to candy, I've always preferred dark chocolate and rich caramel to hard candy, which just taste like hardened rocks of pure sugar because, well.. that's what it is.
And covering a cake with a thick layer of your typical confectioners-sugar based buttercream (which often contains little or no actual butter) just makes it too damn sweet. In my opinion, of course. I have a friend who absolutely LOVES super-sweet supermarket buttercream. Me, not so much.
I first came across a recipe for Italian Meringue Buttercream years ago, in my cake decorating days.
I had purchased The Wedding Cake Book by Dede Wilson, and loved her emphasis on never sacrificing flavor for design. Here's how she puts it in the introduction: "I also strongly believe that a cake is a cake first and foremost, and it is meant to be eaten. It is initially taken in with the eyes and should therefore be aesthetically pleasing to the viewer, but it is ultimately meant to be savored."
This was a philosophy I readily adopted. Dede raved about the flavor and consistency of Italian Meringue Buttercream, so I followed her instructions and made a batch. And, holy smokes. It was delicious.
I think it was the first time I had frosting that I actually liked. From that point forward, it was the only frosting I used. At weddings, have you ever looked around and seen hunks of frosting sitting on plates, untouched? That never happens when you use Italian Meringue Buttercream. Every time I would make a cake, I would hear things like, "I've never liked frosting, but this is so good!"
What's more, Italian Meringue Buttercream is beautiful to work with.
It's silky texture and high butter content makes it easy to get those nice smooth surfaces. It's sturdy enough to decorate with and has a lovely silky sheen. I LOVE decorating cakes with this frosting.
It's also easy to flavor. You can beat in melted chocolate, fruit purees, lemon-curd, espresso, liquors, salted caramel sauce, and anything else you want to make whatever flavor that strikes your fancy.
I have made a LOT of different flavors of Italian Meringue Buttercream. But for some reason, in all my years of making the stuff, it's never occurred to me to make a caramel version. I don't know why because caramel is one of my favorite things in the history of ever.
Last week, I was reading my latest issue of Food and Wine magazine, and found a recipe for caramel cake. Looking at the super-sweet frosting used in the recipe, I thought - What if I made some caramel, maybe even salted caramel, and beat that into Italian Meringue Buttercream...
And, just like that, I have a new favorite flavor of Italian Meringue.
It's so good, you will want to eat it by the spoonful. Yes, fellow non-frosting people. Even you will want to eat it by the spoonful.
Ok. Time for disclaimers...If you've never made Italian Meringue Buttercream, it will seem complicated at first.Please trust me when I say - it's really not.
Do not get scared by the long instructions and please, please, please try it. You'll see. Classic Italian Meringue is simply whipped egg whites that are sweetened and stabilized with a cooked sugar syrup. Italian Meringue Buttercream simply incorporates butter.
I do suggest using a candy thermometer until you've made it enough times to recognize that the syrup is at the right temperature by sight. As you will see, temperature is everything with this recipe. Just pay very close attention to the instructions the first time you make it. After that, it's a breeze....
Unless you don't own a standing mixer. If you don't own a 6 quart standing mixer, you shouldn't even attempt to make Italian Meringue Buttercream. (In which case, you should go buy one just so you CAN make Italian Meringue.) This frosting has to beat for a very, very long time. With a standing mixer, you just let it run and go about your business. So, while this frosting takes longer to make than most, the actual hands-on time is pretty short.
How to make caramel buttercream in advance
You can make the frosting ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for a week or even freeze it for up to 2 months. Just make sure to allow time to bring it to room temperature before using it.
Because of the high butter content, the frosting becomes quite firm when chilled. If you make it ahead of time, which I often do, I've included instructions for reconstituting it to it's proper creamy, silky state at the end of the recipe.
How to make salted caramel sauce in advance
The Salted Caramel flavor in this buttercream comes from the addition of Salted Caramel Sauce, which should be made ahead of time so that it has plenty of time to cool before you add it to the buttercream.
Make the salted caramel sauce at least 6 hours before you want to add it to the buttercream - but the sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months and is amazing stuff to have on hand. So, make it as far in advance as you like.
Ok. Enough babbling. Time to start baking caramel cake.
More favorite cake recipes:
- Gluten Free Caramel Cake with Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream
- The Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Rum Custard and Almond Pralines
- The BEST Vanilla Cake Recipe
- Carrot Cake Recipe with Caramel Rum Sauce
- Tripple Layer Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream
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📖 Recipe
Caramel Cake with Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream
Yield: One 8-inch layer cake; 16 slices
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 5 cups (600 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons (14 grams) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (4.5 grams) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) table salt
- 3 sticks (1 ½ cups/ 12 ounces/ 339 grams) of butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups (319 grams) light or dark brown sugar
- 9 large eggs (450 grams), separated,at room temperature
- 1 ½ + ⅓ cups (416 grams) buttermilk,at room temperature
- 4 teaspoons (18.5 grams) pure vanilla extract
TO DECORATE:
- 1 recipe Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Salted Caramel Sauce for drizzling (optional - if making Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream, you can use the leftover caramel sauce)
Almond pralines (optional):
- 1 cup (142 grams) whole almonds, roughly chopped into large pieces
- ¼ cup (50 grams) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (.5 ounce/ 14 grams) butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Using vegetable shorting or butter, grease three or four 8x3-inch cake pans. Cut a piece of parchment paper to cover the bottom of each cake pan and lightly grease the top of the parchment. Shake flour around in each pan to coat.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk until well combined.
- In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy - about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating on medium speed for 30-60 seconds after each addition.
- Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 4 additions, beginning and ending with the flour. With each addition, beat on low speed until incorporated, just so your ingredients don't fly out all over the counter. Then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds, until smooth, before adding the next addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl before each addition. Mix in the vanilla on low speed until incorporated.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Incorporate the egg whites completely, but take care to not beat all the air out of the egg whites.
- Distribute the batter evenly into cake pans, smoothing the tops with a spoon or spatula, and bake in the center of your oven for 35 - 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, with only a crumb or two sticking to it. The cakes will be a deep golden brown.
- Remove the pans to wire racks and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before gently turning them out of the pans onto the wire racks to cool completely.
Make the Almond Pralines:
- Heat almonds, sugar, cinnamon, butter, and salt in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until almonds are toasted and sugar is completely melted and golden brown, about 15 minutes. - Spread on aluminum foil or parchment paper and let cool completely. Break into chunks and use to decorate the top of the cake.
- If not frosting immediately after the cakes are cooled, they can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day, or frozen for up to 1 month. If freezing, wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil.
Notes
- This recipe makes a lot of batter and is best made using a 6-quart mixer. If you have a smaller mixer, you may need to mix the batter in two batches.
- No buttermilk? No problem. DIY Buttermilk: How to make your own
- This recipe makes enough batter to fill: three 8x3-inch round cake pans, four 8x2-inch round cake pans, or two 10-inch round cake pans. The bake time listed in the recipe is for three 8x3-inch layers. If baking 8x2 inch layers the bake time should be reduced by 10-15 minutes.
- Check for doneness after the cakes have been baking for 25 minutes. If baking two 10-inch layers, bake time will need to be increased by 10-15 minutes. Start checking for doneness after the layers have been baking for 45 minutes.
- Nutrition information calculated without pralines.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16Serving Size: 1/16th of the cake
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 740Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 769mgCarbohydrates: 129gFiber: 1gSugar: 98gProtein: 11g
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Tina says
Have you tried this gluten free?
Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Tina! I have a totally separate recipe for Gluten Free Caramel Cake that I've made many times for gluten free friends to rave reviews. You'll find it here: Gluten Free Caramel Cake. Please let me know if you have ay questions about the recipe. And if you make it, I'd love to hear what you think!
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Kira Starr says
Hello there,
I’m looking to make this cake in cupcake form for my daughter’s birthday. I was thinking I’d half the recipe, but am curious if there is a “foolproof” conversion from cake to cupcake to ensure they do not get too dry…
Thank you in advanced!Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Kira! You should be able to cut the ingredients in half pretty easily for everything except the eggs. The full recipe requires 9 eggs; to half the recipe for cupcakes, I'd suggest 4 whole eggs plus one egg white. The temperature of the oven depends on whether you want the cupcakes to have a slightly domed top or a flat top. For a flat top, bake the cupcakes at 325 degrees F (162 degrees C). For a slightly domed top, bake them at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fill each well in your cupcake pan about 4/5 full - I also like to spray the top cupcake pan with a bit of non-stick spray before adding paper liners and batter. This will help you get the cupcakes out of the pan if they rise high enough for the tops of the cupcakes to be touching the pan. You'll also need to reduce the bake time, of course. How long they take to bake will depend on your oven temperature, but I'd say that the range is probably between 18 and 25 minutes, roughly. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions and I'd love to hear how your cupcakes turn out!
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Lacey says
Hello!
In step 5. of the cake, when folding in eggwhites, it also says to take care to not “BEAT” all the air out. Should I just be folding whites in until fully incorporated or should I fold AND gently beat?
Thank you!Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there! Sorry - "beat" might not be the best word to use in that instruction. You are right: gently fold the egg whites into the batter just until they are incorporated. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
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Megan says
Hello Rebecca!
This looks amazing. I’m planning to make it for my godsons birthday. Howeve I think the quantity might be too much. Planning to halve it. How many eggs would you recommend for the same ? 4 or 5? Or maybe in gms
Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Megan! Happy Birthday to your godson! This recipe does make a lot of cake. To halve the recipe, I'd suggest using 4 whole eggs plus one egg yolk. And, for the buttermilk, use 3/4 cup + 3 tbsp (7 ounces). Everything else should cut in half pretty easily. I've been meaning to add weight measurements to this recipe for a while. Your comment urged me to just do it now, so if you'd rather go that route, you'll find the weight measurements in the recipe now. Good luck with the cake! Let me know if you have any other questions and I'd love to hear what you think of this recipe after you make it! xo
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Megan Harris says
So i only have 2 nine inch cake pans. Will that work?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Megan! You have two options: Cut the recipe in half and make it twice, so you end up with 4 layers. Or, fill your two cake pans with batter (filling them with 1/4 of the batter each or 1/3 of the batter each depending on whether you want three or four layers), and store the remaining batter in the refrigerator until the first batch of cake layers are baked and out of the pans. Both options will work well.
There is a slight advantage to cutting the recipe in half and baking 2 layers at a time. Baking powder, which helps the cakes rise in the oven, is double acting, which means it activates when mixed with liquid and then activates again with heat. So, it's usually best to get cake batter in the oven as quickly as possible after mixing. Having said that, if the batter sits in the refrigerator for a while before you use it, the cakes will still rise in the oven, they just won't rise quite as high.
I hope that answers your question! Please let me know if you have any more questions! And, I'd love to hear what you think of this cake after you make it! xo
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Rochelle says
This Cake is probably the Best I’ve ever tasted or made!!! The first time my buttercream was perfection. Then, I made it a second time and the caramel didn’t combine well with my buttercream. It still tasted wonderful just little bits of caramels were throughout it. Any pointers or ideas of what happened? My caramel was cooled and I was afraid to warm it to add to buttercream.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you liked this recipe Rochelle! To answer your question about why the caramel didn't combine completely... My guess is that it had to do with temperature. Most "problems" with Italian Meringue Buttercream come down to temperature. If both the caramel and the buttercream were on the cold side, that might have prevented the caramel from fully incorporating. Think of it this way - when making cake batter it's important to have the butter at room temperature because if it's cold, it won't fully blend with the sugar. The same thing can happen with this buttercream. If the caramel is quite cold and the butter in the buttercream is also cold, the two will have a difficult time combining. Does that make sense?
Next time, heat the caramel slightly. You don't want it to be too warm... but if both the caramel and the buttercream are at room temperature, they should blend. One other thing to note is that even if both the caramel and buttercream are too cold and not coming together, if you beat them long enough they will. So, if this happens again, just keep beating. They'll combine eventually. 🙂
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xo
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Rochelle says
Thank you so very much for the tips!! It makes perfect sense!
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Carol says
I felt like a professional baker, cake was perfect and thanks to trouble shooting for the buttercream I knew to press an ice pack to bowl to stop it from breaking. Taste was amazing and the Italian Meringue Buttercream OMG.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Carol! I am so happy to hear that this recipe worked out well for you! This is one of my all-time favorite cakes. I could eat the salted caramel Italian Meringue by the spoonful. 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
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Sophie Biltz says
Hi, so I'm planning on making this cake, but I only have 9 by 1.5 inch baking pans. How many layers would the batter make with these pans and what do you suggest for the baking times/temperatures?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Sophie! You should be able to get 4 layers of cake using 9 x 1.5-inch pans, and might even have a bit of batter left over for a couple of cupcakes. 🙂 Be sure to not fill the pans more than 2/3 full to prevent them from over flowing in the oven. I would suggest baking the layers at 325 degrees and checking the layers for doneness after 30 minutes. They'll probably take a bit longer than that to bake, but a quick check at 30 minutes is probably a good idea. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to know how this cake comes out for you! Happy baking! xo
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Nancy says
Hello, I made your wonderful caramel cake with Italian Meringue buttercream years ago. I received many compliments and I was asked for the receipt many times. I think it is the best cake I have ever eaten. I went to make the cake again and I couldn't find the recipe. I searched everywhere without success. Finally tonight I found it. I am very happy. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Nancy! First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful comment! I am so happy that you like this cake and that you found the recipe again. If you're ever in a situation where you can't track down a recipe on here, just send me an email so I can point you in the right direction. 🙂 rebecca@ofbatteranddough.com
Happy Baking! xoxo
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Erica says
Hello from NZ! My mixer is 4.5 quartz, will I regret trying to mix the full mixture in that?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Erica! Sorry for the delay in answering your question - I've been on vacation with my family for the last 8 days and am just getting caught up on answering comments. I'm afraid my answer might be too late, so first - have you already made this cake? I think your mixer will be fine... but, I might still suggest cutting the recipe in half and making it in two batches just to be sure.
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Erica says
Not too late at all, just planning in advance. Thank you! How would you go about spreading them in the tins if you mix it up as two separate recipes?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Good question! 🙂 I think the best solution is to bake this cake in 4 layers instead of 3. I actually went up to the recipe and added that option to the instructions just for this reason. The cake makes 3 very tall layers, so there will be plenty of batter to bake 4 layers instead. And, baking 4 will make it much easier to cut the recipe in half. The other thing I would suggest is to crack all 9 eggs, separating the yolks from the whites, at once and then cut the amount in half for each batch. Does that make sense?
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Devin says
Hello! I just finished making this cake! The cake was so good. The icing, however, was not! I’m not sure if or what I did wrong but the icing was not sweet like normal buttercreme and it had a VERY buttery after taste. I used 6 sticks like the recipe called for. Help!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Devin! Glad you liked the cake! Sorry the buttercream didn't quite turn out. Italian Meringue Buttercream isn't as sweet as traditional American buttercream. Having said that, it should still taste sweet - just not as sweet. Also, even though the recipe calls for a lot of butter, the buttercream shouldn't actually taste like butter, so it does sound like something went a bit wrong. Is it possible you forgot to add the 1/3 cup sugar to the egg whites while beating them?
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Judy says
This is amazing! I made it for my daughter's baby shower, and it was the hit of the party. The flavors are absolutely incredible and everything came out perfectly. It is time consuming so I'm glad the recipe included instructions for making components ahead of time. Crazy good, rich, flavorful, tender. I will make it again, but probably only serve one layer at a time unles it's for a big crowd - it's sooooooo rich and yummy. My kitchen was a bit warm when I made the frosting, so my tip for cooling the frosting down is to hold ice cubes on the outside of the bowl to help the temp reduce a little more quickly.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment, Judy. Your cake looked absolutely AMAZING! I'm attaching a picture so everyone else can see it too:
Also, the tip with the ice cubes is great. I'm going to add that helpful little tidbit to the recipe notes. xoxoReply
Moiselys says
Hi Rebecca! I'm Moiselys again. I have another question. ..the butter to make the cake is unsalted? And about the buttercream I'm worried about if it tastes too buttery...can I reduced the amount of butter?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there Moiselys! Yes - it's important that the butter in the buttercream be unsalted, otherwise the buttercream will taste salty. You can reduce the amount of butter if you like - I'd suggest holding back on adding the last stick, tasting it and seeing what you think. But, the buttercream doesn't taste "buttery". I know that seems unlikely with 6 sticks of butter in it! But, no one will say, "This is so buttery!" Rather, they'll say, "How did you get this so creamy?"
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Laura says
Perhaps I missed it but how many people does this feed? I am hosting a party for 50 and need enough cake to cover that. I was thinking a single recipe might work in a 10x13 pan. I could double it for a second layer. How long do you think that would need to bake? Also, would doubling the icing recipe be enough? Made this before and loved it! Hoping to use it again.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Laura! So glad you've made this cake and enjoyed it in the past enough to make it again! So, to answer your questions... I think this recipe will actually make two 10x13 cakes. You may even have a bit of batter left over after filling each cake pan about halfway full of batter. If so, make a cupcake or two and reserve them as your reward! You should be able to get 25 pieces from each cake, so one recipe should feed 50 no problem.
To answer your question about timing, I'd guess that each cake will take 30 - 35 minutes. Having said that, I've never baked this recipe in a 10 x 13 inch pan, so that is a guess. I'd start checking it at 30 minutes... but the cake is rich and dense enough that it might take as long as 40 or 45. Just keep an eye on it. One other thing: if your oven can hold two 10x13 inch pans at once, great. If not, I'd suggest halving the recipe and making it in two batches. The leavening agents - the baking powder and baking soda - begin working as soon as they come in contact with the wet ingredients. So, if half the batter is sitting out on the counter while the other half bakes, I'd be concerned that you won't get the same rise from the second cake. To half this recipe, crack all 5 eggs into a measuring cup, whisk them to combine, and measure out half per batch. Everything else should cut down the middle fairly easily.
Finally, I think one batch of Italian Meringue buttercream will be enough to frost both cakes. However, if you're planning on using a lot of frosting for decoration and concerned that you might not have enough, go ahead and make a second batch. If you don't need it, no harm done - it freezes beautifully. Just follow the instructions at the bottom of the recipe to thaw and reconstitute it to a spreadable consistency.
Good luck and please let me know if you have any more questions! xoxo
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Moiselys says
Hi Rebecca! I'm just discovering your blog looking for a recipe for italian buttercream. I'm from Venezuela. Sorry for my bad english, in advance. I hope you can understand my question, it is about the caramel sauce. I just find the normal milk's cream (far 25%) where I live. Could I make the caramel sauce with it adding unflavored gelatin, flour, or cornstarch to make the sauce thicker? Or I'm crazy haha. Give me ideas please.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Moiselys! Thanks so much for reading this blog! I think the sauce will be fine with whatever cream you can find. Just boil it a bit longer to let some of the excess water content in the cream evaporate. You still want the sauce to be runny - and it will thicken as it cools no matter what. So, don't worry about adding anything else to thicken it. I think it will be just fine. Let me know how your Italian Buttercream comes out! xoxo
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Kelly Hockett says
Hi Rebecca. I must be confused. I just made my buttercream icing and added the sugar and water mixture just as you said by 1/3 cup and then in a steady stream. But at the end of the recipe, you call for adding 1 1//2 -2 cups salted caramel sauce. I have read and re-read this recipe a dozen times and aside from what I have just done, I don't see a recipe for salted caramel sauce. Is it just me and I have missed something?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Kelly! The recipe for Caramel Sauce is linked in the ingredients list. Do you see where it says "1 Recipe Salted Caramel Sauce" in the ingredients list? If you click on that, it will take you to the recipe for Caramel Sauce. I'm so sorry if that's confusing. I'll have to think about how to make that more intuitive. If you don't have time to make the caramel sauce from scratch, simply use store bought caramel ice cream topping instead. To get that salted caramel flavor, just stir in a teaspoon or two of salt. Good luck and please let me know if you have any more questions! xo
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Pina says
Hi Rebecca..
This recipe looks and sounds devine! I'm going to give it a try tomorrow for a dinner party I'm attending... fingers and toes crossed all goes to plan! Only thing is I currently don't have the greatest oven when it comes to size and can't fit 2 x 10 inch pans at the same time... would it be a problem if I bake one cake at a time? I am moreso asking for the cake that will go in second?Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Pina! Even though it's more work, I'd suggest halving the recipe, baking one layer and then mixing the second half of the batter right before baking the second cake. The reason for this is that the baking powder and baking soda begin to work their magic as soon as they are combined with the wet ingredients. So, my concern with half the batter hanging out while the first layer is baking, is that you could end up with one layer that just didn't rise properly. If you do mix the batter one half at a time, crack all 5 eggs into a measuring cup at once, whisk them to combine, and then add half to the first batch of batter, reserving the second half for the next batch. I hope that helps! Drop me a line and let me know how the cake comes out, if you can. Good luck and enjoy your dinner party! xo
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Pina says
Hi Rebecca..
I've been meaning to respond however life sure gets busy with the little ones as I'm sure u know all about! So I made the cake and OMG - the salted caramel and butter cream are truly amazing! The cake was nice also however I think I may have over beaten it as it was a little more on the dense side than I was expecting - but in saying that the taste was still beautiful. I ended up having to bake the two cakes seperately - definitely a lot more work but worth it! Thanks so much for sharing this beauty! 🙂Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how this cake turned out for you, Pina! I appreciate it more than you know! This is a pretty dense cake - more the constancy of a pound cake. But, yes - over beating can also contribute to it being even more dense. I hope you try it again sometime. And thanks again for letting me know! xoxo
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Debbie McCarrick says
Cannot wait to try the Buttercream. BTW you spelled ethereal incorrectly, Sorry English major and I feel if someone is going to do a food blog/website they owe it to their readers to spell check!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Debbie! Thanks for the heads-up about the misspelled word. I do my best to spellcheck every post and check for grammatical mistakes, but it's inevitable that they slip through from time to time. I appreciate you're letting me know. 🙂 And, I really do hope you try this buttercream! xoxo
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Mereditj says
I made this cake for my mother (the sweet tooth of the family) for her birthday. She loved the Duncan Hines cake mix and wanted it but didn't realize it had been discontinued. So many of the recipes I found were for yellow cake with caramel icing. This is truly caramel cake (thank you, brown sugar) and it is the most buttery, delicious frosting I have ever tried or made. The recipe does take a long time--mainly to allow things to reach room temp. My frosting also looked curdled both times I made it, but after continuing to beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed for a few more minutes, magically came together. Keep beating! Wow, was it delicious and a huge hit. Will keep especially the frosting recipe for the future. Thank you so much for this recipe!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
This comment just totally made my day! I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear from readers who have baked and enjoyed my recipes. THANK YOU so much for taking the time to let me know! Means the world to me. xoxo
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Vix says
Hi! It's 2am and I've just finished making this buttercream to spread on a 4 tiered chocolate cake for my son's 1st birthday. I had a taste and it is AMAZING! Can't wait to smother the buttercream with a salted caramel drip sauce and top it off with caramel nut popcorn!! Thank you x
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Your son's birthday cake sounds so amazing! Would you mind sending a picture? I would love to see it! Happy birthday to your son! (Only a mother would stay up until 2am to make a birthday cake.) xoxo
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Vix says
I would love to send you a pic, do you have an email address? Everyone raved about the buttercream btw! Thank you for the easy to follow recipe x
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I am so glad! You can send the picture to rebecca@ofbatteranddough.com. I can't wait to see it!
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Minette den Ouden says
Hi Rebecca,
I live in the Netherlands and it is a bit challenging to find corn syrup here. Can I subsitute the corn syrup w/ simple syrup in the caramel?
I found a recipe for homemade corn syrup, do you think this will work?
2 cups white sugar
3⁄4 cup water
1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 pinch saltI just love Swiss Meringue Buttercream; I'm very eager to try the Italian version. The Swiss version also uses a lot of butter!
I usually use it under my fondant covered cakes. Once I've filled and crumb coated my cakes, I normally let is harden in the fridge, cover w/ cling wrap and then freeze the cakes until I'm ready to start decorating. Naturally the cakes need to defrost. I usually cover the cake w/ a final layer of Swiss Meringue Buttercream while the cake is half defrosted. Then the butter forms a lovely "hard" layer that works perfectly under the fondant. Due to the high butter content in your recipe, I'm pretty sure I will get the same result.
Really looking forward to giving this a try.
Kind regards
Minette
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Minette! First of all, I just want to say how much I love to receive comments from people in far away places that I long to visit. I truly hope to make it to the Netherlands someday. Until then, I'm happy that I get to converse with someone from there!
I love Swiss Meringue Buttercream as well! I think you'll find that Italian Meringue Buttercream holds up better than the Swiss version, which is kind of nice. Your method for hardening the buttercream, before covering with fondant is brilliant! I've done something similar by freezing the unfrosted cake layers and then frosting them frozen. The buttercream that is against the cake hardens a bit, which is useful if I need to transport the cakes over a long distance.
To answer your question - I've never tried to make corn syrup at home, so I can't say if the homemade recipe would work. At first glance, it looks like it would, but you'd just have to try it. Other alternatives to corn syrup that I believe will work are Agave Nectar and Brown Rice Syrup. Are either of those available to you?
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Minette den Ouden says
Hi Rebecca, I managed to order corn syrup online and made the cake today for a friend's 40th birthday. It was amazing!
I only had dark brown sugar at home (our brown sugars are moist), so the cake was a bit darker but deliciously moist.
Thanks for sharing your recipe
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Woo-hoo! I am so glad you like this cake! I'll be the dark brown sugar was lovely in there and probably enhanced the caramel flavor. Happy Birthday to your friend and THANK YOU so much for taking the time to let me know how the cake turned out!!! xoxo
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Marilyn MacCallum says
Love the sound of this recipe...BOTH the cake and the buttercream. I'm definitely going to try them. I'm also excited as I've been trying to find a really great light spice cake and I'm thinking I can use this cake recipe as a base and perhaps add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice...and make it into the perfect spice cake as well. I'll keep you posted on that one ????????
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Brilliant! Yes, please do keep me posted. I can't wait to hear how it turnes out! xoxo
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Laurie says
The buttercream sounded too advanced, but I made the cake, halved, and used an American buttercream with Trader Joe's caramel sauce. It was a test run for my daughter's 25th birthday. We both found your recipe independently and thought it looked amazing. Not overly sweet.
I made a mistake and cooked it in convection mode. It baked too quickly ... was done in 35 minutes. The end result? A pound-cake like texture, but a little dry. I feel confident it will come out properly when baked in the right mode, but do you know the approximate bake time for the halved recipe? Oh, i so wish I had the right size pans ... and room to store them. It's hard to halve an egg, you know?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Laurie! I am so glad you are experimenting with this recipe! First of all, instead of halving an egg, just add 3 whole eggs. That extra tablespoon or so of egg won't throw anything off and will just add a bit of extra richness. Adjusting the bake time is a bit more tricky because it depends on so many other factors. But, if you rely on your senses and check the cake for signs of doneness: it will be pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, with only a crumb or two sticking to it. The cakes will be a deep golden brown.
Having said all that, if you're baking a half recipe (in non-convection mode), I'd start checking after 40 minute. Open your oven door just slightly and if it's golden brown and starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, stick a toothpick in the center to further test if the cake is done. If it doesn't look close to done, shut the oven quickly and check again in 5-10 minutes.
Finally, if for whatever reason, a cake comes out on the dry side, simply brush it with a simple sugar syrup. For simple syrup bring 2 tbsp sugar and 1/2 cup water to boil in a small saucepan. When it begins to boil, cover the pan, remove from the heat and let sit to cool to room temperature. (At this point you can even add additional favoriting like vanilla or liquor.) Brush all over the top of the cake for added moisture.
Good luck and please let me know how the 25th birthday cake comes out! Happy birthday to your daughter! xoxo
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Laurie says
Thanks so much for the great advice! I love the simple syrup idea.
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Linda says
6 sticks of butter!? Oh well... Even though I am trying to bake with more olive oil than with fat, this recipe sounds like it is worth it! Thanks for sharing!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I know it's a frightening amount of butter! But, keep in mind that the Buttercream recipe makes a lot - 7 cups. The cake is also large - enough to serve 24 people. The cake recipe can certainly be halved if you prefer. But, it also freezes well. When I want to make a smaller caramel cake, I use the rest of the batter for cupcakes that I wrap individually and put in the freezer. They are great to have on hand! Cupcakes thaw faster than whole cakes, so they are perfect for unexpected guests. Extra Buttercream freezes well also. There are instructions at the bottom of the recipe for freezing and thawing it. It's also great to have on hand.
Regardless - this is a special occasion cake that is sooooo worth every buttery calorie. I really hope you try it, and when you do, please let me know how you like it.
Happy Baking!
xoxoReply
Melisa Boucher says
Help!! I made this last night for my son's birthday and used two 10' cake pans, made the frosting as directed and was left over with what seems like a pound of frosting even though the cake was loaded with frosting on the inside layer and the outside. Does the recipe really call for 6 sticks of butter or was it a typo? I've never used this amount of butter for buttercream before.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Melisa! Fist of all - how was the cake? I hope your son enjoyed it! Yes - the recipe does call for 6 sticks of butter and makes about 7 cups of frosting. The good news about having left over buttercream, is that it freezes really well. I love having extra Italian Meringue Buttercream in the freezer - especially for a quick batch of cupcakes! The bottom of the recipe has instructions for how to thaw the buttercream once it's been frozen. A couple of readers have mentioned that they've used this buttercream on chocolate cake and that it's divine. So perhaps, in a month or two, you can pull that left over buttercream from the freezer and make a whole new treat. xo
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Laura Cameron says
I made this awhile back and loved it! I'm not a secure baker, but I've decided to make it for a three tier baby shower cake. The only thing is the cake was a bit dry. I am planning on using a 12",10" and 8" pan. Any suggestions on baking temps and times? Also, do you think 2 batches of the icing will be enough? Thanks for any help you can give.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Laura! For the baby shower cake, I'd suggest keeping the bake temperature the same for all three layers but adjusting the time slightly for the different sizes. You'll mostly have to just pay attention to a few signs telling you that the cakes are done: they should be golden brown and starting to pull away from the sides of the pan slightly. Stick a toothpick in the center to check for doneness - if there are some crumbs stuck to the toothpick, that's fine. You just don't want to see any batter on the toothpick. Having said that, I think your 8-inch layers will take approximately 40-45 min., and the 12 inch layers will probably take 65-75 min.
If the cake was on the dry side the last time you made it, I'd guess it was just over baked slightly. However, if you're at all concerned that the cakes are dry, simply make a simple syrup and brush the tops of the cake with that: Combine 1 cup of sugar with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Let cool and then use a pastry brush to brush over the layers. This will add extra moisture to any cake.
To answer your question about the frosting - I think 2 batches of the Caramel Buttercream will be plenty.
Good luck! I'd love to hear how the cake came out! xo
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Dave says
Hi, forgive my Aussie ways. But I understand a stick of butter is about 110g, if that's true then is the amount of butter in this recipe quite excessive?? Please help correct my wrongs.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
You are correct, Dave. There is a lot of butter in this cake. Keep in mind that the recipe makes a lot of cake - enough to serve about 24 people. Likewise, the recipe for Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream also makes quite a bit of frosting - around 7 cups. Either recipe can be halved if that's more cake and buttercream than you want to make. However, both recipes also freeze well. So, you could bake smaller cake layers and freeze the ones you're not using for later. I hope you'll try this cake! It's one of my family's all time favorites!
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Jamie says
This frosting is amazing! I love caramel and will also try the caramel cake at some point. However, I was making a cake for a family member who requested chocolate. Anyway, I thought a caramel buttercream would be perfect. I hate the sugary, hardened stuff that calls for tons of powdered sugar so I was excited to try this.
I was nervous to make it since I haven't attempted this sort of thing before but I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out light and fluffy and silky smooth, not to mention delicious. Will use this recipe again. Thanks!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Jamie, I am so glad to hear that you liked this recipe for Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream! Woo-hoo! Comments like this make my day. Thank you so much for taking the time to write it! xoxo
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Ruthy says
Excellent cake and icing! I HATE buttercream frosting - but you have converted me! I'm serving the cake next weekend for my sister who is SUPER picky about cake and frostings but caramel - especially salted caramel is her very favorite!
Like some of the other folks, my meringue looked a bit curdled after adding all the butter, but the more I beat it the creamier it became. Also when I added the caramel it was gorgeous and delicious! I can't wait to hear my sisters rave review as I'm sure she will love it!
Thank you for an excellent recipe and flawless instructions 🙂Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Woo-hoo! Ruthy, I am so glad to hear that you liked this buttercream frosting. I hate regular buttercream frosting too - but the first time I tried Italian Meringue, I was hooked! Best of luck next weekend - I hope your sister enjoyed the cake as much as you do! xoxo
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cynthia says
I'm thinking of making this cake for a baby shower, but im wondering if you think it woud work under forndant?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Yes - it should work fine. The only thing you have to be careful about is temperature. It can be difficult to cover in fondant if the frosting is too soft. I'd suggest frosting the cake and then putting it in the refrigerator for a few hours, or even overnight, before covering it with fondant. Then, keep it refrigerated until it's time to take it to the baby shower, which will help keep that underlaying layer of frosting cool. Let me know how it comes out! xo
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Lisa says
Could i use the carmal with vanilla buttercream ty
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Lisa says
What's one pound of butter in grams or cups ty
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Lisa. One pound of butter is equal to 2 cups.
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Melanie says
Can you leave out the caramel and use the buttercream as is? I have seen several other recipes that only call for 2 sticks of butter but I love the stability of the caramel version, but need a vanilla for another cake. Is the plain IMB the same recipe just without the caramel?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Melanie! Yes - you can certainly leave out the caramel and add some vanilla. In fact, here's that recipe, along with several other versions of Italian Meringue Buttercream right here: http://ofbatteranddough.com/italian-meringue-buttercream-frosting-recipe/
Happy Baking!Reply
Annie says
Oh my goodness! The frosting is so beautifully silky and smooth. I just made the cake and frosting last night for a friends birthday even though his birthday is two weeks away because I wanted to make sure I could get it right. So now they are both setting up in the freezer, ready to be assembled in a couple weeks. That frosting is a dream. I did have trouble with it separating when I first added the butter (impatience, of course) but I just put in in the fridge for 20 mins and it came together perfectly. It is missing a little sweetness for me, but I think I will just cook up another batch of the caramel and cook it through a bit more so it's a bit firmer and use it as a drizzle on top and spread a thin layer on top of the buttercream in the middle. Thanks for all the excellent tips. Reading the comments really helped me get it right and not panic when it didn't come together right away. Now I just need to find a use for all of those egg yolks.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I am so glad you love this Caramel Italian Meringue, Annie! It is a favorite at my house for sure. I love your idea for adding more caramel. Besides, the cake will look so pretty with a drizzle of caramel over the top! Happy birthday to your friend! And thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you've enjoyed this recipe. I really appreciate it! Here's a suggestion for 4 of those egg yolks: http://ofbatteranddough.com/chocolate-banana-cream-pie/
xoxoReply
Annie says
I am happy to report that the cake was an overwhelming success. I had some trouble getting the frosting to cream back up nicely after warming it back up from frozen, it was all separated and cottage cheese like, but I found a tip on the web which really helped. It suggested taking a cup of the frosting and microwaving it for 10-15 seconds until melted but not hot, and then returning it to the mixer while stirring. This seemed to work well because the frosting finally came back together and was creamy and fluffy once more. Just a helpful tip in case anyone else has trouble trying to reconstitute the frosting after freezing.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Yeah! I am so glad the cake turned out well! Thanks so much for letting me know and for the tip about reconstituting the frosting. xoxo
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Jeannette Sanders says
You can make lemon curd with the egg yolks - delicious mixed into plain Greek yogurt and served with berries.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Great idea Jeannette! I LOVE lemon curd and have used it in several recipes on this blog. But, I hadn't thought to recommend that readers making Italian Meringue Butter cream save their yolks for a batch. Thanks for the tip! Also, I eat greek yogurt and berries for breakfast nearly every day and have never stirred in some lemon curd. Tomorrow morning, I am SO going to do that. xo
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Liz says
Thank you so much for the recipe! Just made this cake for my boyfriend's birthday today. I'm sure he will love it, he is a big caramel guy! I stuck my finger in the frosting and it tasted scrumptious 😀
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Rebecca Blackwell says
You are most welcome, Liz! I hope you both enjoy the cake and that your boyfriend has a very happy birthday! xo
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Angelseng says
OK so recipe says 6sticks of butter. Are u really using 3 cups of butter? Here 1 stick is half a cup.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there! The recipe really does call for 3 cups of butter. I know it's a lot - but it makes quite a bit, and it's one of the factors that makes this frosting so amazing. 🙂
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Lamorea says
Can't wait to try this cake!!! Am I missing how much caramel should be added to the Italian Meringue Buttercream? I don't see it anywhere in the recipe for the buttercream.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I can't wait for you to try it either Lamorea! I hope you love it as much as we do! As to your question - I use the entire amount of caramel when I make this recipe, but it really is up to you and your personal tastes. I suggest adding about half, tasting the buttercream, and then adding as much as you like. Please let me know how you like it after you make it! xo
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Cath says
Oh so good. I could have added a bit more salt but delicious. Thank you.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I like a lot of salt in my caramel too, Cath. 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this recipe!! xo
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Cath says
I make this buttercream all the time and love it but this is my first go at caramel. Just wondering how thick the caramel is after adding the butter and cream? I am worried mine is a bit runny. Also do you use salted or unsalted butter? Thank you.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Cath! The caramel will be the consistency of caramel ice cream topping. If yours is a bit runny, I wouldn't worry about it. Once you beat it into the buttercream, it should be fine. Also - I use salted butter for this caramel because I want to emphasize the salted flavor. But, if you wanted to limit or control the amount of salt in the caramel, I'd suggest using unsalted butter. That way you could add as much or as little salt as you like. Since you've made Italian Meringue Buttercream before, please let me know how you like the caramel version!
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Rachel says
i just pulled my cakes out of the oven. I was a little worried about the amount of batter because it is for a LOT of cake. I divided it between three 9 inch pans, and it worked out perfectly. I always like having an extra layer of cake in my freezer for rum balls or trifle. I plan on making a bananas foster cream cheese icing to fill and ice the cake. I can't wait to try it on Saturday!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
So glad they worked out well, Rachel! I so appreciate you taking the time to let me know. I always like to have extra goodies in my freezer too... especially around the holidays! And, OMG. Bananas foster cream cheese icing with this caramel cake sounds SO good! I wish I could pop over and try a bite. 🙂
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phyllis says
Made it!! I had a few moments I thought it wouldn't turn out but after reading all the comments here and understanding a few things better...it turned out! I'm impressed with myself 😉 Quite amazing cake and well, thank you!! I shared a third of it with a birthday friend and still have enough to gain probably 10 pounds here at home. I was brainstorming about the remaining icing and think you could add toasted pecans and a river of fudge to put it on top of something with "Turtle" in the name 😀
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Rebecca Blackwell says
O.M.G, Phyllis - I LOVE your suggestion about adding pecans and hot fudge. How amazing would that be?! I'm going to try that for sure. I am so glad the cake turned out well for you! It's one of our absolute favorites here as well. And, once you make Italian meringue frosting, it's hard to go back to anything else. Thanks SO much for letting me know that you enjoyed this recipe! xoxo
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Alex says
Hi! I was looking to make cupcakes and noticed the suggestion to halve the recipe. About how many cupcakes does half of a recipe yield? Do you also recommend halving the frosting recipe then, too? Lastly, at what temp/how long should they be baked? Thank you!!!!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I would suggest baking the cupcakes at 350 degrees and guess they will take about 20 minutes. Start with 20 minutes, test with a toothpick for doneness, and then bake for a few more minutes if necessary. Let me know how they turn out!
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Alex says
Hi! I was looking to make cupcakes instead of the cake and noticed that you suggest halving the recipe. I was wondering how many cupcakes half of the recipe would yield? Would you also suggest halving the frosting recipe? Thanks!!!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Alex! I've had a couple of people tell me they used this recipe to make cupcakes instead of a cake and that the recipe will yield about 36 cupcakes. So, if you half the recipe, you should end up with around 18 cupcakes. And, I would absolutely recommend frosting them with the salted caramel Italian meringue buttercream. The combination is really good - whether you're eating a slice of cake or a cupcake. But, I'm a bit biased - it's my favorite frosting of all time! 🙂 Please let me know how you like it!
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Meg says
I made this icing to go on chocolate cupcakes and it was fabulous. I have icing leftover and would like to try the cake but need to halve it. Any recommendations for having the 5 eggs. Your recipe says the recipe can be halved. Thank you.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm so glad you liked it Meg! I could eat it by the spoonful... 🙂 Yes - the recipe can be halved, but I should have explained better what to do with 5 eggs! Whenever I'm halving a recipe with an odd number of eggs, I simply crack the odd egg and divide it in the shell. There's no need to be terribly exact in doing this - eggs vary in size a bit no matter what, so I've never had any ill effects from eye balling half an egg. The alternative would be to just add either the egg white or the yolk from the odd numbered egg. I feel that decision is more about the recipe itself... if it's a "light" cake, I'd add the white. In this case, I'd use the yolk. Let me know what you think about the cake! xoxo
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Lea says
But what about halving the egg whites in the meringue?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Do you mean only using half of what the recipe calls for?
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Lea says
Yes, I don't need that much buttercream, so I thought I'd half the recipe but it's hard to half an egg white.
Rebecca Blackwell says
I would just use 5 egg whites Lea. It will turn out fine. Let me know how you like it!
Cheryl says
caramel is my number 1 flavour, and I am looking forward to trying this one out, but I'm an Aussie! how many grams is a stick of butter, and when measuring the temperature for the syrup, is that in Celsius or Fahrenheit?
TIA 🙂Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Cheryl! 1 stick, or 1/2 cup butter, is equal to 4 ounces, or 113 grams. And the temperature in the recipe is Fahrenheit. After you make this caramel cake, let me know how you like it!
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Cynthia says
I just made the buttercream and the caramel. I plan to store this frosting for use tomorrow. Should I complete the recipe (incorporate the caramel into the buttercream) and store it in the fridge or should I store them separately and combine them when I'm ready to use. Thanks! And what a great recipe!!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Cynthia! I suggest going ahead and incorporating the caramel now before you store it in the fridge. It will be easier to mix in the caramel before the buttercream is cold. Plus, then you'll get to lick the beaters. 🙂
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Georgia says
I am just about to make this recipe for a wedding cake!! My first weeding cake so the pressure is on. Very excited, cant wait!! I will let you know how this goes. 🙂
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Rebecca Blackwell says
That's awesome Georgia! One tip: In all my years of cake decorating, I always found that it was easier to decorate a frozen cake. So, if you have time, freeze the layers first and then decorate them frozen. Also, this cake will sink slightly in the middle. Just fill it in with extra frosting. You can see in the pictures I posted here that there is a bit more frosting at the front of the slice. Have you ever made Italian Meringue icing before? It can be a bit tricky - just follow the directions exactly and feel free to send me an email with any questions: rebecca@ofbatteranddough.com
Good luck! I'm sure it will turn out great! Will you send me a picture of the finished cake? I'd love to see it!
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Georgia says
Thank you for the tips!! ill definitely have a go at freezing the cakes and adding extra frosting! Yes, I have made Italian meringue icing before 1st time it was absolutely delicious but the 2nd time didn't work to well but i will practise and follow the recipe exactly.
I will definitely send you a picture of the cake! Thank you so much for the help 🙂
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Lynn says
Love, Love, Love this cake. I had it at book club and then a few days later dreamt about it dancing on my tastebuds. I've got to make it.... today!
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Ifra says
Hi, I tried the cake but the mixture didn't fluff up when I added the eggs. And then it was all clumpy when it came out of the oven. How do you think I can fix that?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hmmm... let's trouble shoot this a bit, shall we? First question: Were you using a standing mixer or a hand held mixer?
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linda says
I made this cake as directed and the centers sunk! why? did not over mix, followed directions perfectly.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
So sorry to hear that the center of the cake sunk, Linda! Usually, a sinking center is the result of too much air in the batter. This can happen if you beat the batter too quickly or vigorously. Beating the butter, sugar and eggs at medium speed (and adding the eggs one at a time) should create air bubbles that are more stable than if you beat the batter super fast. Since it sounds like you did all that, my next thought is to ask if perhaps the cake wasn't quite done baking when you removed it from the oven? Several things can interfere with the reactions that cause a cake to rise - opening the oven , taking the cake out of the oven to check it's doneness, etc. If a cake isn't all the way done in the center, it will collapse upon itself as it cools. The best indicators that this cake is done are that the center will not be jiggly if you shake the pan gently and the sides will be pulling back slightly from the edge of the pan.
If neither of those solutions seem to fit your situation, you might consider having the temperature of your oven checked. Check to make sure that your oven heats to the right temperature and then check to make sure your oven doesn't have any hot and cold spots (which is actually quite common) by checking the temperature in several positions in the oven. If, for example, the cake was sitting over a cool spot, the center might take longer to cook.
Finally, waiting too long from when the batter is mixed to when you put it in the oven can cause cakes to sink because leavening agents finish their work before the cake is fully baked in the center.
How much did the cake sink? I've had this happen on occasion as well and if it's not too sunken, I just scoop a bit more frosting in the center to even it out. Woo-hoo! More frosting! If the center is hopelessly sunk, I'm not above passing around forks and just letting people eat it right from the pan. Sunken cakes still taste delicious. 🙂
Regardless, I hope you were able to eat it and hope you'll try it again. I promise, it's worth it!
Please let me know if there as any other way I can help you!
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linda says
Thanks. Not sure really, I checked the cake when the timer went off and it was already sunk, tested with a tooth pick and it was good. i froze the layers so we shall see what I decide to do with them
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Rebecca Blackwell says
So glad you saved the layers! I suggest making a trifle: cut the cake into bite size chunks, toss the cake with a few splashes of rum, and layer them in a bowl with caramel whipped cream (just whip some caramel into whipped cream) and bananas. That sounds so good as I'm writing this that I might have to make some caramel cake just for that purpose. 🙂
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randos says
i made italian buttercream recently & it turned out great. (not this caramel version, but I'll try it too in the near future ) One thing I was concerned about though were the egg whites & food poisoning. The cake wasn't eaten all in one go &, as you say, the buttercream gets pretty hard when refrigerated. but I didn't like to keep it out of the fridge just so the buttercream would still be edible when I felt like a slice. what's your advice for how to store/handle this buttercream AFTER its already been used to decorate a cake that isn't finished yet? (I know - shocking! ha ha!) Also, how long would you leave it out of the fridge & still consider it "safe" to eat?
I hope I'm making sense!!Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Randos! Thanks for your question. I'm going to give you the "safe" answer and my "personal experience" answer. 🙂
Answer #1: (The safe answer) Since the frosting contains egg whites and butter, uneaten cake really should be refrigerated. The egg whites are cooked by the sugar syrup, so leaving the frosting at room temperature for a couple of hours is fine; but after 4 hours or so, the frosting should be refrigerated.
Answer #2: (My personal experience) I've been making Italian Meringue Buttercream for close to 20 years. During that time, I've used it on wedding cakes, birthday cakes, baby shower cakes, anniversary cakes, and "just because" cakes (my favorite kind!). I've eaten and served countless pieces of cake frosted with Italian Meringue Buttercream that had been unrefrigerated for 12-16 hours. At home, I've left cakes out for up to 24 hours with no ill effect. In general, I'm not very worried about leaving the frosting out for quite a while. The consistency and taste is definitely better at room temperature. I generally put uneaten Italian Meringue Buttercream iced cake in the refrigerator overnight and then pull it around noon the next day so that it is available to my family for a snack or evening dessert. If there is still some left over that night, I just pop it back in the refrigerator.
Does that help?Reply
randos says
it does help, thanks. probably just over concerned. i make cakes all the time "just because" too & was so happy to come across Italian meringue buttercream, now I'll not be so wary about using it more. I've bookmarked your caramel version, so hopefully I'll get round it doing it soon 🙂
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Lisa says
The risk of salmonella comes from egg yolks not whites. The sugar in the icing acts as a preservative. I have left cakes out frosted with this until they're gone - 3/4/5 days usually - with no ill effects. The only problem "might" be if you're in a hot area where temperatures and humidity are way out of control. I live in Charleston, SC and have never had melting of any meringue type icings.
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Irma says
Hi! I'm dying to try this cake! Specially the frosting. Can we use wipping cream instead of heavy cream for the caramel? That's what I have now.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Irma! I'm sure whipping cream will be fine. Your caramel might be a bit thiner, but I don't think that will affect the consistency of the frosting. Just add the caramel slowly, beating well after each small addition until you get the consistency and flavor you want. Please let me know how you like it! It's my family's favorite frosting!
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Kari Anderson says
Thank you for this recipe, the cake tastes great. The frosting did look a Little curdled but I did as you said in your responses and popped it in the fridge for a little bit and it creamed up perfectly. I made this cake for a Thank You gift for someone, luckily I was able to make a small one on the side for us to try! I ink I used 9 inch pans instead of 10 so there was extra batter. I did think the frosting tasted a little buttery but I added some extra caramel that I had in the fridge and it helped sweeten it a little more!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Kari - I am so glad you enjoyed this cake. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! I love that you added more caramel to suite your tastes. That really is the beauty of this frosting, and why I love it so much - it's so adaptable! In case you haven't noticed, I posted a Vanilla Italian Buttercream Recipe a while back with a lot of flavor suggestions at the bottom of the post. Since you've mastered Italian Meringue Buttercream with the caramel version, you might want to try some other flavors as well. 🙂 Have a wonderful rest of your weekend! xoxo -Rebecca
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Kim says
could you tell me the weight of a stick of butter? .
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Kim! 1 stick of butter = 1/4 of a pound. Does that answer your question?
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Jeannie says
I made cupcakes(makes36) it is the best cake recipe I have had in a long time, caramel came out wonderful and the Italian buttercream was awesome. Will be keeping this recipe, thanks.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Thanks so much for letting me know that you enjoyed this cake Jeannie! That just made my day. 🙂
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Dianne M. says
I made this cake for my Mom's birthday a few weeks ago and it was a masterpiece! Everyone loved it! Take the time to make this right, it's worth it including the caramel sauce. (I could drink that stuff right out of the bowl!) I will make this again! Thank you for sharing!!!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
I am just pleased as punch that you and your mom enjoyed this cake. Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
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Lesia says
The Cake itself is devine.. The icing on the other hand is killing me- I tried it twice, and both time is looked like curdled milk, totally separated. the first time, I might have jumped the gun before everything was cooled, but the second time, I waited and it was cool before adding the butter. does the type of mixer make a difference? I used a hand held mixer.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Lesia - I am so sorry you're having trouble with the frosting. It can be a bit tricky - but is so worth it! I wish I could just pop over to your house and make a batch with you.
In general, anytime you find yourself in a situation where the frosting looks separated or "curdled", all it takes is a lot more beating to bring it back together. If you add the butter before the meringue is cool, that's exactly what will happen. It sounds like that might have been what happened the first time you made it. The best option is to put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or so) to solidify the butter. Then beat it until it comes together. I'm not sure why it separated the second time, since you made sure to wait until the meringue was cool before adding the butter... but, I suspect that if you would have kept beating it, it might have come together. Even though you waited until the meringue was cool, it sounds like the butter was just too soft.
I've never made Italian Meringue Buttercream with a hand held mixer... It has to beat for so long your arm must have been ready to fall off! 🙂 I don't think using a hand held mixer in and of itself is the problem; however, beating it enough to fully incorporate the butter might be challenging with a hand held. Here's what I can tell you for certain: The temperature of the butter and meringue does matter, but butter that's too warm or too cold, or meringue that's too warm when you add the butter, are all situations that can be rectified. If the buttercream looks soupy or separated after adding the butter, just keep beating it, or put it in the refrigerator for a bit and then keep beating it. Something else you might try: bring only half of the butter to room temperature before incorporating it into the meringue. Keep the other half of the butter chilled in the refrigerator. That way, you are balancing out the temperature - half room temperature butter and half cold. As you add the cold butter to the meringue, just keep beating until it's fully incorporated.
I REALLY hope you'll try it again. It really is worth it. It took my neighbor a few tries before getting this frosting right, but now she's a pro at it and makes it all the time. Please let me know if I can do anything else to help!
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Corey says
Just tried to make the meringue, but it turned out orange and had a bitter note to it. I am not sure if my candy thermometer is correct because at 248-250 my sugar/water mixture was turning Amber. Buy the time I got it to my meringue it was a deep Amber colour. is this what I'm looking for or was the mixture heated to much/long?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Corey! It does sound like the sugar syrup was heated too long. It's ready to add to the meringue right before it starts to color. At this stage, you'll notice that the bursting, boiling bubbles that cover the surface is surface are popping a bit slower. The mixture will look a bit thick and syrupy but has not yet started to color. If you try it again, I would suggest erring on the side of heating it just under the recommended temperature of approximately 248. It also might be a good idea to get a new candy thermometer. It does sound like yours might be a bit off. An alternative method to test the temperature, is to heat the syrup to the firm ball stage. This means that if you drop a small amount in a bowl of ice cold water, it will form a firm ball that will not flatten when removed from water, but remains malleable and will flatten when squeezed.
One more thing - I have added the syrup to meringue just as it was starting to color and the frosting has turned out fine. However - you have to catch it right as it starts to color. Once it's turned a deep amber, it's too late. So, if you're making this again and notice that it's starting to color, no worries. Just take it off the heat immediately and add it to the meringue.
Please let me know if you try this recipe again and how it comes out! And of course let me know if you have any more questions. 🙂
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Iman says
hi, should the caramel be light or amber coloured before you add the cream and butter? On the comments you said to add it as soon as it starts to colour whereas on the recipe you said it must become a deep amber colour
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Sorry for the confusion. The caramel should be a deep amber color - just as the recipe instructs. Let me know how this Italian Meringue Buttercream recipe comes out for you! xo
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April says
Okay, is it still supposed to be light and meringue looking after you add the butter? Because for some reason the butter doesn't want to smooth together.it just looks really choppy and gross looking. I've tried another recipe like this one before and it's never done this for me. I'm afraid to pour in the caramel and am contemplating starting the frosting over before I do because I failed the first time I tried doing the caramel and I feel like I'm wasting ingredients... Please Help
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi April! I'm sorry it's not coming together! That can be frustrating... Here are some suggestions:
Temperature is really important to this recipe. It sounds like one of two things might be happening: either the meringue is too warm when you are adding the butter, which is causing it to melt or the butter is too cold, preventing it from incorporating into the meringue. It's important that both the meringue and the butter are at room temperature when you combine them. Regardless, if you keep beating, the butter will incorporate eventually, even if the ingredients aren't at the right temperature. If it looks too runny, just put it in the refrigerator for a while to firm up the butter and then re-beat until creamy. If the butter is too cold when you add it to the meringue, just keep beating until it softens up. Please let me know if you keep having trouble... Send me an email if you prefer: rebecca@ofbatteranddough.com
The frosting is worth it, I promise!
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Rachael says
Oh my this recipe looks divine, I really want to make this for my friends bday as she's obsessed with salted caramel but alas she is gluten free 🙁 do you think this would work with GF flour?
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hmmm.... Rachael, this recipe would probably work with gluten free flour. Another option is to try this Gluten Free Flour Substitute: http://ofbatteranddough.com/gluten-free-all-purpose-flour-substitute/
I've had better luck with the substitute above than I have with store-bought gluten free flours. When is your friends birthday? I wouldn't mind having a gluten free version of this cake in my arsenal... perhaps I'll try it and let you know if you need to make any other changes besides swapping out the all-purpose flour for gluten free.
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Jackie says
Will do. I can't wait to try it!
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Yikes! So sorry all - I left the cream of tarter completely out of the ingredients list! I've updated the recipe accordingly. So glad you're trying the recipe. 🙂 Please let me know how you like it! It's one of my family's favorites!
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Jackie says
Hi Rebecca. In step 2 of the buttercream recipe you state "sprinkle in cream of tartar". How much do I use? Thank your for your help and recipe. I can't wait to try this! Jackie
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Fran says
Great recipe but it is HUGE., FYI. It yielded 48 cupcakes and was too large for my base model kitchenaid. You’ll need a large model or else have to do it with a hand mixer in an extra large bowl.
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Fran! Yes - the recipe was designed to feed a crowd and makes a very large cake. If you make it again, I'd suggest cutting the recipe in half and mixing the batter in two batches. That should make it easier to accommodate all that batter in the smaller base model KitchenAid. I think I'll add a note in the recipe comments about this for other bakers working with a smaller mixer. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment! And, I'm glad you like the recipe! xo
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Stepfon Fletcher says
Hello I was wondering could I make this into a pound cake
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Stephon! Are you wanting to bake the cake in a loaf pan? I've never baked this in a loaf pan, but I'm sure it would work just fine. I would definitely suggest cutting the recipe in half... even then, you'll probably have some batter left over. If so, make a few cupcakes. 🙂 Please let me know if you have any other questions! xo
Courtnee says
How much cream of tartar do you use? I don't see the measurement for it. Thanks.
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Trixley says
Would you kindly advise how much cream of tartar to add while beating egg whites for the buttercream?
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jeannie says
Definitely will do the buttercream! Thanks for sharing!
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Kay says
Hey Beckie! Can't wait to try this recipe -- it sounds and looks amazing! ! I believe that I will make it for Grandma's birthday! (Did Katie take the pictures? They are beautiful! )
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Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there! Grandma will love this cake! I am thrilled that you are thinking of trying it. The frosting especially is one of my favorite recipes on here so far.:-) Thanks for the kind words about the pictures - they are all me. I'm on a steep learning curve when it comes to food photography... but certainly trying!
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Laura Cameron says
Hi! I've made this 3 times and love it. My daughters bridal shower is coming up. I'm trying to find a rich whit chocolate
Frosting recipe. Wanting something different than the Italian meringue. Would love a suggestion. Wanting something better than a plain buttercream with white chocolate added. Any suggestions? Help!Reply
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hello Laura! I am so happy to hear that you like this recipe! White chocolate frosting on caramel cake sounds absolutely divine. I am going to have to try that combination sometime very soon. I'd suggest making a whipped white chocolate ganache. If you've ever made ganache, you know it's basically just cream and chocolate. But, white chocolate is a bit more finicky than dark or milk chocolate when melting it. It has a tendency to separate. Here's what I'd suggest...
20 ounces white chocolate (Get the highest quality white chocolate you can find, meaning white chocolate with the highest percentage of cocoa butter)
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 tsp saltPut the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream until it just begins to simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds - 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula or wire whisk, stir the ganache in small circles, starting in the center of the bowl and working your way out. When the ganache is smooth, add the butter one piece at a time, stirring until incorporated. Stir in the salt. At this point, you'll need to let it cool completely. I'd suggest refrigerating it overnight, or at least 6 hours. Once cool, use an electric mixer to whip the ganache until fluffy.
Good luck and please let me know how it turns out! xo
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Also, the tip with the ice cubes is great. I'm going to add that helpful little tidbit to the recipe notes. xoxo
