Perfectly sweet and moist spiced caramel cake infused with the flavors of fall spices is complimented with a silky, smooth caramel Swiss meringue buttercream.
Without fail, every year when fall rolls around, I find myself craving bakes and treats packed with the flavors of fall spices. There is something so comforting about foods that warms you from within especially as the temperature starts to drop. To jazz up my caramel cake recipe, I perused by spice collection and landed upon a mix of spices I thought would pair perfectly with the subtle sweetness of caramel. This selection of spices included cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. As expected, the addition of these spices enriched the caramel flavor in this cake in such a pleasant but not overbearing way. To pump up the caramel flavor even further, I decided to ice this spiced caramel cake with one of my latest obsessions…caramel swiss meringue buttercream! Words cannot express how delicious this spiced caramel cake with caramel swiss meringue buttercream is. If you are a lover of caramel and fall spices, then this recipe is a much try!
How to Make Spiced Caramel Cake
To make spiced caramel cake:
- Whisk all the dry ingredients except the sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl to combine.
- Beat sugar and butter together at medium-low speed (4 on stand mixer) until mixture becomes thick and fluffy and takes on a pale-yellow color, about 3 minutes.
- Mix in caramel sauce and vanilla extract into butter-sugar mixture at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined.
- Add eggs one at time into batter. Make sure the previous egg is thoroughly mixed into batter before adding the next one.
- Slowly pour oil into wet batter at medium-low speed (4 on stand mixer); mixture will take on the appearance of thicken hollandaise sauce.
- Mix the dry ingredients and buttermilk into wet batter at low speed (2 on stand mixer) starting and ending with the flour. Take care not to overmix cake batter.
- Equally divide cake batter into (3) greased and parchment lined baking pans and bake at 325F for 24-25 minutes.
How to Make Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Key Ingredients
- Egg Whites
- Raw Cane/Granulated Sugar
- Unsalted Butter
- Sea Salt
- Caramel Sauce (Homemade/Store-Brought)
To Make Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- Clean – properly clean all tools that will be used for making the meringue ensuring there is no presence of residual grease; this includes the mixing bowl, whisk and paddle attachments of a stand mixer.
- Cook – add egg whites, sugar, and sea salt into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water ensuring the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook egg white-sugar mixture until it registers 160F on a kitchen thermometer and there is no presence of sugar granules.
- Whisk – at high speed on a stand mixer (8-10) whisk warm egg white-sugar mixture until the base of mixing bowl is cool to touch, no longer hot (about 10-15 minutes) and meringue has reach stiff peak stage.
- Mix – switch to paddle attachment and slowly add cubed pieces of room temperature but semi-firm butter to meringue at medium speed (4 on stand mixer). Once all the butter is incorporated into meringue, add the vanilla extract and caramel sauce. Increase speed on mixer back to high. Mix buttercream for an addition 3-4 minutes until a fluffy and smooth consistency is reached.
Prior to making this caramel buttercream, I only made swiss meringue buttercream once before for my apple cider cupcakes. The main issue I encountered was the buttercream becoming semi-liquidly after the butter was added. I attributed this to the meringue being too warm, thereby, melting the butter before it was properly whipped into the meringue. If this happens, do not panic! Simply place mixing bowl with buttercream in the refrigerator for 20 – 30 minutes and then whip buttercream at high speed until fluffy, smooth texture is restored, about 2-3 minutes.
Layered Cake Assembly
Making a layered cake can seem pretty intimidating; however, as with any new skill, practice makes perfect. My first few experiences making a layered cake were a complete disaster, but with a whole lot of patience and the right tools I was able to conquer my fear of making layered cakes. See below for the tips I learned along the way.
Tools I Use for Making Layered Cakes
Truth be told, you do not need a surplus of supplies/tools to make a stunning layered cake. In fact, it is the opposite! With a handful of trusted tools and practice, you will be able to slay at making layered cakes. My go-to tools for assembling layered cakes are listed below:
- Cake Leveler or Serrated Knife – is used for cutting off the dome tops of baked cakes so that they stack up evenly. I was recently gifted this cake leveler by my awesome sister but originally used a serrated knife for years.
- Turntable – helps with spreading and smoothing buttercream on layers of cake due to the fact that it rotates making it easier to consistently apply buttercream without having to manually rotate and ice at the same time.
- Offset Spatula – is used for layering buttercream between the layers of cake and applying buttercream to the sides and top of cake.
- Bench Scrapper – is my most valued cake decorating tool as it makes for a perfectly smooth cake. I used this aetco and norpro bench scrapers interchangeably.
- Pastry Bag and Tips – is mostly used for adding decorative piping to the top and sides of cake once it has been properly iced. My go to pastry tips for decorating cakes are Wilton’s 1M, 2D and 6B.
Assembly of Layer Cakes
- Level – starting off with room temperature cakes, remove the domed tops with a serrated knife or cake leveler.
- Stack – place a clean surface on top of a turntable i.e. cake stand/cake board and spread a small amount of buttercream onto the center. Place the first cake layer in the center of prepared surface. Spoon some of the buttercream onto cake and spread into an even layer using an offset spatula. Repeat once more with second cake layer before topping with the final cake layer.
- Crumb Coat – using an offset spatula, fill in the gaps between cake layers with buttercream and smooth out with bench scrapper. Add a small amount of buttercream on top layer of cake — just enough to spread into a thin layer with offset spatula.
- Refrigerate – place cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour to allow crumb coat to firm up before applying final coat of buttercream.
- Final Coat – with an offset spatula, apply a thick layer of buttercream around the sides of cake. Spoon a good amount buttercream onto the top of cake, about 2-3 serving spoons.
- Smooth – using an offset spatula, spread the buttercream on top of cake into an even layer. This will push some of the buttercream over the edge of the top layer which is fine. Switch to a bench scrapper. With dominant hand, hold bench scrapper at a 45-degree angle against the side of cake and apply light pressure while rotating turntable with non-dominant hand. Repeat action until the sides of the cake are perfectly smooth.
- Refine – some buttercream may extend over the edge of the top cake layer. Use an offset spatula, to bring extra buttercream toward center of cake and smooth out while turning turntable with non-dominant hand.
Helpful Tips
- Spiced caramel cakes may be bake the day before. To maintain freshness, just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- In place of chocolate curls, mini chocolate chips or chocolate shaving maybe used to fill and decorate cake.
- Caramel swiss meringue buttercream maybe substituted with your favorite American or cream cheese buttercream.
- See my apple cider cupcake with brown sugar buttercream post for a detailed description on making swiss meringue buttercream.
- Cake is best eaten the day it is prepared but can last up to one week in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap or 1 month in the freezer tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
Spiced Caramel Cake
Perfectly sweet and moist caramel cake infused with the flavors of fall spices is paired with a silky, smooth caramel swiss meringue buttercream.
- Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 35 Minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 Slices
Ingredients
Spiced Caramel Cake
• 2 1/2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 3 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
• 1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Buttermilk, Room Temperature
• 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Raw Cane/Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Caramel Sauce, Homemade or Store-Brought, Divided
• 1/2 Cup (4ounces) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Firm
• 1/4 Cup Flavorless Oil i.e. Avocado/Grapeseed Oil
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• 4 Large Egg Whites
• 1 Cup (8 Ounces) Raw Cane/Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups (12 Ounces) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Firm
• 1/ 3 Cup Caramel Sauce, Homemade/Store-Brought
• 1/4 Teaspoons Sea Salt
• Chocolate Curls, filling and garnish
Instructions
Spiced Caramel Cake
- Preheat oven to 325. Properly grease and line (3) 6” baking pans with parchment paper. Place prepared baking pans on a large baking sheet and set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, rising agents (baking powder and soda), spices and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Add the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat at medium-low speed (4 on stand mixer) until mixture becomes thick and fluffy and takes on a pale-yellow color. With a spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Mix caramel sauce and vanilla extract into butter-sugar mixture until thoroughly incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
- One at a time, mix in the eggs into batter. Make sure that the previous egg is completely mixed into batter before adding the next egg.
- With the mixer running at medium-low speed, slowly pour and mix in oil into wet batter. Once all the oil has been added, batter will have the appearance of a hollandaise or custard sauce.
- Turn down the speed of mixer to low (2 on stand mixer). Alternating between dry and liquid, add and mix in the flour mixture and buttermilk into wet batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Take care not to overmix cake batter. Mix just until a uniform batter is reached with any streaks or clumps of flour.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of mixing bowl and give a quick mix before equally dividing cake batter into prepared baking pans.
- Bake cakes for 22-25 minutes rotating the baking sheet with pans halfway through baking time. Cakes are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Thoroughly clean all tools that will be used for making the meringue ensuring there is no presence of residual grease; this includes the mixing bowl, whisk and paddle attachments of a stand mixer.
- Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add egg whites, sugar, and sea salt and whisk to combine. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water ensuring the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook egg white-sugar mixture until it registers 160F on a kitchen thermometer and there is no presence of sugar granules.
- Whisk warm egg white-sugar mixture at high speed (8-10) on stand mixer until the base of mixing bowl is cool to touch, about 10-15 minutes and meringue has reach stiff peak stage.
- Switch to paddle attachment and slowly add cubed pieces of room temperature but semi-firm butter to meringue at medium speed (4-6) on stand mixer. Once all the butter is incorporated into meringue, add the vanilla extract and caramel sauce and increase speed on mixer back to high. Mix buttercream for an addition 3-4 minutes until a fluffy and smooth consistency is reached.
Assembly
- With a serrated knife or cake leveler, remove the domed tops of cooled cakes.
- Place a clean surface on top of a turntable i.e. cake stand/cake board. Use an offset spatula to spread a small amount of buttercream onto the center chosen surface. This will ensure that cake stay steady while buttercream is being applied.
- Put the first cake layer in the center of prepared surface. Spoon some of the buttercream onto cake and spread into an even layer using an offset spatula. Drizzle some caramel sauce over buttercream and generously sprinkle chocolate curls. Repeat once more with second cake layer before topping with the final cake layer.
- Using an offset spatula, fill in the gaps between cake layers with buttercream and smooth out with bench scrapper. Add a small amount of buttercream on top layer of cake – just enough to spread into a thin layer with offset spatula.
- Place cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour to allow crumb coat to firm up before applying final layer of buttercream.
- With an offset spatula, apply a thick layer of buttercream around the sides of cake. Spoon a good amount buttercream onto the top cake, about 2-3 serving spoons.
- To smooth the top of cake, spread out spooned buttercream into an even layer with an offset spatula – this will cause some of the buttercream to go over the edge of the top layer which is fine since it will get smooth out in next step.
- To smooth the sides of cake, switch to a bench scrapper. With dominant hand, hold bench scrapper at a 45-degree angle against the side of cake and apply light pressure while rotating turntable with non-dominant hand. Repeat action until the sides of the cake are perfectly smooth.
- Use an offset spatula, to bring in buttercream over the edge of top cake layer and smooth out while turning turntable with non-dominant hand. This will allow for a cake with sharp edges.
- Pipe desired border around edge of the top of cake. I went with a rope design using a Wilton 6B pastry tip. Spoon remaining caramel sauce into center of border. You may not use all of the caramel sauce.
- For an extra special touch, decorate the base of cake and border with chocolate curls or shavings.
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