Salted caramel cake made with soft vanilla sponge layers, a rich caramel filling, a light caramel whipped cream, and a smooth caramel Swiss meringue buttercream finish.

I’ve tested this cake many times to balance sweetness, salt, and texture, using my go-to vanilla sponge and homemade caramel.

Each layer is built for clean slices, stable frosting, and a true bakery-style result you can reproduce at home.

Why you’ll love this cake

Perfect sweet-salty balance with real homemade caramel
Light layers and creamy fillings that don’t feel heavy
Ideal for birthdays and celebrations, with a professional finish

Ingredients Notes

You need these ingredients to make this salted butter caramel cake:

Vanilla cake: Flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and buttermilk (see recipe notes for substitutions).
Caramel mascarpone frosting: Mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, salted caramel, and vanilla.
Swiss caramel buttercream: Egg whites, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, vanilla, and salted caramel.
Homemade caramel sauce: Granulated sugar, unsalted butter or salted butter, and heavy cream.

Tips before you start

Let the cakes cool completely: The sponge cake layers must be completely cooled before assembling, if they are still warm, the cake may collapse and won't be stable.
Chilling time: After assembling, apply a thin layer of buttercream and let it chill in the fridge before applying the final layer of buttercream.
Caramel drip: Gently heat the caramel in the microwave and let it cool until it's runny but not too thick.
Take the layer cake out of the fridge in advance: To allow the buttercream to soften and have a smoother texture when eaten.

How to make salted caramel cake

This cake is made using my vanilla cake, which creates soft yet stable layers.

Beat the softened butter with powdered sugar and lemon zest until light, then add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until fluffy.

Fold in the flour mixture, then add the buttermilk and lemon juice and mix gently until smooth.

Divide the batter between three lined round pans and bake at 165°C / 329°F for about 40-45 minutes, until set in the center.

Unmold and cool the cakes upside down on wire racks.

cake pans filled with lemon sponge cake batter

For best results, I use my homemade salted caramel, linked here for full details.

Melt the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns into a deep amber caramel.

Add the butter, then slowly pour in the cream and fleur de sel, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened.

saucepan with melted sugar and butter to make salted caramel

This Caramel Swiss buttercream is my go-to caramel frosting for layer cakes and celebration cakes.

Heat the eggs and sugar over a gentle double boiler until the sugar is fully dissolved (131°F / 55°C).

Whip until thick and cool, then add the butter and mix until smooth and creamy.

mixing bowl with buttercream and caramel sauce

The frosting is made with my salted caramel mascarpone frosting.

Whip the cold mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and slightly cooled salted caramel until thick and fluffy.

Level the cakes into 4 even layers.

Place the first layer on a cake board, pipe a ring of caramel buttercream, fill the center with caramel frosting, and add a thin layer of caramel.

Repeat with the remaining layers.

Cover the cake with caramel buttercream and smooth the sides and top. Drizzle with caramel sauce, then decorate with the remaining buttercream using a star tip.

Serving suggestions

Serve this salted caramel cake slightly chilled or at room temperature.

It’s perfect for birthdays, dinner parties, or any special occasion where you want clean slices and bold caramel flavor.

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving.

Recipe variations

Chocolate caramel cake: Use chocolate sponge layers instead of vanilla.
Nutty caramel cake: Add toasted pecans or almonds between the layers.
Lighter finish: Frost only the top and sides with caramel whipped cream instead of buttercream.
Mini layer cake: Bake the batter in smaller pans for a compact celebration cake.

You can also turn these flavors into individual desserts with my salted caramel cupcakes, made with the same caramel and frosting.

Recipe Questions

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes. Bake the cake layers and prepare the caramel a day ahead. Assemble and frost the cake the next day.

Does salted caramel cake need refrigeration?

Yes, because of the caramel and cream-based frostings.

Can I use store-bought caramel?

Yes, as long as it’s thick and not overly runny.

Why is my caramel frosting too soft?

The caramel should be slightly cooled, and all cream-based ingredients must be well chilled before whipping.

More Cake Recipes

I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!

Salted Caramel Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Author: Fadela
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 10 servings

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Description

Salted caramel cake recipe with a soft and moist vanilla cake, filled with caramel mascarpone frosting, salted caramel sauce filling, and a Salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream (for a 6 inches /15 cm cake 10 -12 parts)

Instructions

Salted Caramel Sauce

Follow my recipe for Salted caramel sauce

Vanilla cake

-Preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F) and line two 15 cm (6 inch) round cake pans, 7 cm (2.75 inches) high, with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter with the sugar for 3 minutes until creamy.
Add the vanilla extract, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and continue to beat for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes voluminous.
Alternately and gradually fold in the dry ingredients mixture and the buttermilk with a spatula until you get a homogeneous and creamy batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. (5 minutes before the end of baking, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake; it should come out clean or with a few crumbs.)
Allow to cool in the pans for a few minutes before gently removing and letting them cool completely upside down on a wire rack.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream with Caramel

Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl and heat the mixture over a double boiler in a saucepan containing a little water heated over medium heat.
While whisking continuously, check the temperature of the mixture, which should reach 55°C (131°F) (the sugar should also be completely dissolved).
Transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for about 10 minutes until a cooled and stiff Swiss meringue forms.
Reduce the mixer speed and gradually incorporate the butter and vanilla, then continue mixing until you get a thick and smooth cream (the mixture may become grainy; keep mixing until it becomes more homogeneous).
Finish by adding the slightly warmed salted caramel, then switch to the paddle attachment and mix again on low speed until you get a smooth and pliable buttercream.

Caramel Frosting

In a large bowl, place all the ingredients: cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and slightly warmed and cooled salted caramel sauce.
Whisk with an electric mixer at medium-low speed for about 2 minutes until you get a smooth and firm glaze.

Layer Cake Assembly:

Using a cake leveler or a large serrated knife, slice the 2 cakes into 2 layers to get 4 cake layers.
Place one cake layer on a cake board placed on a turntable.
Apply a ring of caramel buttercream around the outer edges, fill the center with caramel glaze, then add a layer of slightly warmed but not too hot salted caramel sauce.
Cover with the second cake layer and repeat the previous step until the last cake layer.
Cover the entire layer cake with a very thin layer of buttercream smoothed with an offset spatula and place the layer cake in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes or 10 minutes in the freezer.
Cover with a thicker layer of buttercream and smooth with a steel cake smoother.
Chill the cake again in the fridge for 30 minutes before drizzling with salted caramel sauce (warm but not too hot), then decorate the top of the cake with the remaining caramel buttercream.
Enjoy!

Notes

*For the best baking results, I recommend using a digital scale to measure ingredients in grams instead of cups. Precise measurements ensure consistent and perfect outcomes every time.

Storage: Up to 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, and up to 3 months in the freezer.

After refrigeration, remember to take the layer cake out 30 minutes beforehand to soften the buttercream slightly.

Substitute for buttermilk: You can replace buttermilk with regular milk or make homemade buttermilk by mixing milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Alternatively, you can mix half milk with plain yogurt or sour cream.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Category: cake, Dessert, Layer cake
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 472
Sugar: 25
Sodium: 357
Fat: 32
Saturated Fat: 15
Carbohydrates: 41
Fiber: 1
Protein: 6
Cholesterol: 95

Comments

Katarzyna Giannini

October 18, 2020 at 8:10 am

Hello, I will be testing this cake for my son's first birthday. Can you tell me where you bought the cake stand?

- Fadela
  
  November 03, 2020 at 12:45 pm
  
  Hello, I got it on Wish.
  
Malika

April 12, 2024 at 10:29 am

This caramel cake looks delicious, and I'd love to try it, but I'm concerned it might be too sweet with caramel in the creams. Do you think I could just put the caramel inside the cake, will it be flavorful enough? Thanks for your blog and all your recipes!

- Fadela
  
  April 12, 2024 at 10:34 am
  
  Hello and thank you for your message. With caramel in the frosting and buttercream , you'll indeed have a very flavorful caramel cake. It's true that caramel adds a sweet taste, so you can slightly reduce the sugar in the buttercream or omit it in the frosting. However, to lessen the caramel flavor, you can simply use it between the layers of sponge cake. The cake will still be flavorful enough!