For years, I’ve wanted to master the perfect Southern Caramel Cake. Betty Irving, who makes the best caramel cake in West Point, Mississippi, won’t give me her recipe. She just tells me that the secret is the heavy cream. And the decade that we spent in the Chicago area was virtually caramel cake-less due to the fact that it just didn’t exist in that part of the country.
What fun it was to discover, upon arrival in Winston-Salem, NC, that I could order a delicious three-tiered caramel cake from Cherries Cafe in Lewisville any time we wanted. So that’s what we did for birthdays and special occasions until 2006 when Cherries Cafe published a book of recipes that included Ollie’s Caramel Cake. Hurrah! Problem solved, right? Not so fast… Here is what it says at the bottom of the page, “Note: This is a great old-fashioned cake but a bit difficult to make.” My attempts were tasty enough…. but sloppy and lopsided, real “cake wrecks” if you will.
The recipe below is my solution for satisfying the caramel cake lovers in our family and it has been a huge success. I use a tried and true yellow cupcake recipe formula from noted pastry chef Gail Gand, the caramel icing recipe from Cherries Cafe Secrets, and a healthy pinch of flakey sea salt which takes this desert to a whole new level. Cupcakes, being infinitely easier to frost with the warm, candy-like icing, were the answer.
Now we have a family argument over how many cupcakes constitute a serving. I say one, and I’m confident that I am correct. Others insist that 2 cupcakes equal one slice of a traditional layered cake. You be the judge.
Print“Real South” Salted Caramel Cupcakes (see icing recipe below)
- Yield: 24 1x
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk (room temperature)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fill 2 12-count cupcake pans with paper liners.
In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to whip. Add the vanilla and gradually mix in the eggs, one by one, until well combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk and ending with the dry ingredients.
Pour the batter in to the prepared pan, filling each slot three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cupcakes are puffed, firm in the center , and light golden brown on top. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack.
“Real South” Salted Caramel Icing
- Yield: 24 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 16 ounce package brown sugar
- 1 16 ounce package confectioners sugar
- flakey sea salt, such as Maldon
Instructions
Bring the butter, cream and brown sugar to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes or until thickened and the sugar is dissolved, stirring often. Add vanilla. Pour carefull into a large bowl and add the sifted confectioners’ sugar immediately. Beat until creamy and smooth. Let the icing cool slightly.
Remove the cupcakes from the pan.The icing should still be warm but firm enough to just barely drip over the edges. Do a test on one cupcake and when it is the right consistency, go ahead and frost all the cupcakes fairly quickly before the icing hardens. (a small off-set spatula works well here) Sprinkle each with a healthy pinch of the flakey sea salt as you go so it will adhere to the wet icing. Let icing set before serving.
Anne Shuler
September 10, 2014 at 4:08 pmPlease disregard previous comment! Trying to share this delicious recipe with a friend for a club meeting.
Anne Shuler
September 10, 2014 at 4:05 pmHey Miss Ann,
Here’s the link to the salted caramel cupcakes recipe. We could get together that Sunday before the meeting to bake them, or I can do the cupcakes if you want to do the salty side. Let me know what works for you!
Melissa
Sarah
May 31, 2014 at 10:57 amThese sound amazing!
Edith
January 1, 2014 at 2:18 pmThank you. Recipe worked well.
therightrecipe
February 3, 2014 at 9:25 pmGlad to hear it. Thanks for letting me know.
Katie
December 10, 2013 at 10:45 pmI made these for my sister’s birthday party! Everyone raved about them!!!! A huge hit!!
Charlotte
October 22, 2013 at 4:27 pmHow long will these keep for?
therightrecipe
October 22, 2013 at 4:31 pm3 days covered at room temp or cooler
Tanya Santos
October 22, 2013 at 9:58 amI can’t seem to find the flaky sea salt. Do you think coarse or ground sea salt would work, as well? Thanks for this recipe. Batter is fabulous! Cupcakes see in the oven now.
therightrecipe
October 22, 2013 at 10:25 amKosher salt will work well. A small pinch of sea salt will do the trick perhaps, taste wise. I would be careful with coarse ground salt…some brands would be too crunchy and overpowering. Hope it goes well…favorite cupcakes around here!
Top 10 Best Recipes with Caramel - Top Inspired
October 4, 2013 at 3:20 pm[…] Recipe […]
Jayne
September 17, 2013 at 5:19 amLove finding something new to try, these sound wonderful!
huntfortheverybest
September 12, 2013 at 12:24 pmicing looks delish!
cookazido
September 4, 2013 at 12:38 amDefinitely 2, only because I would want 2 (or more) of these! They look so delicious.
Kathy
September 3, 2013 at 4:34 pmI made these and they are amazing!! Lots of “wow” from the new fans
Top 10 Best Recipes with Caramel
September 3, 2013 at 2:29 pm[…] Recipe […]
Allison (Spontaneous Tomato)
August 31, 2013 at 9:03 pmThat icing looks amazing! Looks like it’s just the right consistency, and it sounds absolutely delicious. : )
Lee French
August 28, 2013 at 9:07 amThe appropriate serving size is 2 now, and 1 later…for a total of 3. The author should know this by now.
A Taste of Wintergreen
August 25, 2013 at 8:38 amThese look perfect. On my list of recipes I must try out. Thank you! 😉
Lakshmi Loves To Shop
August 23, 2013 at 11:48 pmOh my 🙂 they look sooooo delicious! Thank you for a lovely post ~ Lakshmi
whatscookinginjaneskitchen
August 23, 2013 at 1:25 amThis looks delicious! I am definitely making this! Love your blog and pictures always perfect 🙂
Brigid
August 22, 2013 at 9:18 pmYUM! Will definitely have to give these a try!