Salted Caramel Drip Cake!
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A delicious, dreamy, sweet & salty cake that everyone will enjoy. A salted caramel drip cake to beat all others, the true showstopper!
Recently I was asked to make my friends birthday cake, so I had to oblige.. I mean, it was just so difficult to bake a cake that was damn delicious and then eat a majority of it. But anyway, she let me make a recipe out of it, so we had a great deal going on!
I didn’t know what flavour to use, but then I remembered she has an obsession with all things salted caramel, so this was obviously going to be the flavour.
The cake
I used the same cake recipe that I have used a few times now, such as in my Caramac Cake, and my Biscoff Cake. Using the light brown sugar in the cake sponge gives it a natural caramel flavour, and also keeps the sponge so moist and delicious.
As this cake is a 400g mix, I bake mine into three layers as I find this easiest. I creates a good depth of sponge, that is perfect for a cake like this. However, you can make it a 500g mix like my other sponges (Kinder bueno drip cake) and bake into two tins to create a four layer cake!
- Butter – for the cake you can get away with using a baking spread or a room temperature block butter – both work well for sponges!
- Sugar – as mentioned above, I love using light brown sugar for a cake like this, but caster sugar, golden caster sugar or dark brown sugar works well also.
- Flour – My most used flour in my kitchen, self-raising flour, is the ideal for this cake. However, if you need to make your own you can using plain flour and baking powder. Whisk 2 level tsps of baking powder per 150g of plain flour, before using (And remove any extra raising agents in the recipe!).
- Eggs – Medium as always guys…!
- Baking Powder – This is an optional ingredient. Some people disagree with using it as self raising flour already has some help, but as long as you don’t over measure it can really lighten the texture perfectly.
The frosting
My Salted Caramel Cupcakes, and Rolo Cupcakes provided the frosting and decoration inspiration for this. Using the same frosting as the cupcakes, and oodles of Rolos we had an absolute winner here.
- Butter – the butter you use in this cake is SO IMPORTANT!!!! You MUST use a block butter, and not a margarine for this cake. If you use margarine or spread, as soon as you add the caramel which counts as a liquid, you will end up with a soup texture and nobody wants that.
- Sugar – as with any American buttercream, icing sugar! Yes it’s sweet, but that’s what the salt in the caramel is for.
- Caramel – I used a ready made caramel in a tin (carnations anyone?) – and added salt chunks. You can use a dulce de leche or another THICK caramel sauce like my homemade caramel sauce though if you wish.
The drip
As all the other drip cakes I have made so far has used chocolate, I decided to go with a salted caramel sauce. I used carnations caramel from the supermarket as its ready made, and perfect for the buttercream and drip.
I loosened my caramel as mentioned in the method by just stiring it slightly in the bowl and adding the salt. I used some Disposable Piping Bags to do the drip, like I do in all of my cakes. I use the Disposable Piping Bags for ALL of my drizzles whether its on cupcakes, cheesecakes, or drip cakes.. its so much easier to use a little disposable bag which you can just snip the end off and use.
I only cut off about 1/3cm on the end of the bag, and edge it over to create the drips. I don’t push each drip that far at all as the caramel drips further than a chocolate ganache will, and you don’t want it to puddle tooooo much at the bottom!
Decoration
I decided to add the stereotypical ‘Jane’s Patisserie’ flair to my cake by piping round the cake with some of the leftover buttercream, adding loads of Rolos, and then some fudge and chocolate sprinkles. I just can’t resist it!
I used my favourite piping tip as always in a large piping bag, and carefully swirled the leftover buttercream about 1-2″ in from the edge. This helps as the caramel doesn’t ‘set’ perfectly so it prevents the buttercream swirls falling off the edge.
Tips & Tricks
For this cake it really is best to chill the cake at every stage. I always try and keep a drawer free in my freezer for bakes as it’s just quicker and easier, but the fridge works well, also. Chilling the cake means that it sets so when you carry on, it’s less likely to slip and slide all over the place.
I tend to fill my cake layers, make a crumb coat and chill well. Then, I add the thicker layer of buttercream, smooth over and chill. Add the caramel drip, and chill. Finally, decorate and enjoy! I know it seems faffy, but it WORTH IT.
Using a turntable makes this sort of cake much much MUCH easier to achieve, so I would recommend investing in one if you can! Enjoy!
(Photos updated June 2022)
Salted Caramel Drip Cake!
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 400 g unsalted butter
- 400 g light brown sugar
- 7 Large eggs (or 8 medium)
- 400 g self raising flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp whole milk (optional)
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 250 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 600 g icing sugar
- 175 g caramel (carnations)
- Pinch sea salt
Decoration
- 200 g caramel (carnations)
- Pinch sea salt
- rolos
- sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cake!
- Heat the oven to 180ºc/160ºfan and line three 20cm/8inch cake tins with baking parchment – leave to the side.
- In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the flour, eggs, baking powder (if using) and beat again briefly until combined – try not to overbeat!
- Divide the mixture between the three tins and smooth it over – bake for 25-30minutes until the cakes are golden and when the cake springs back (skewer should also come out clean)
- Once baked, leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove and leave to cool fully on a wire rack. If the cake has domed slightly, leave the cake to cool upside down to flatten it slightly.
For the Decoration!
- In a stand mixer, beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is smooth
- Beat in the icing sugar 1/3 at a time until its fully combined. Keep beating the buttercream for 5-6 minutes on a medium speed so it starts to get fluffier and lighter.
- Add in the carnations caramel and beat again with a pinch of sea salt and beat again for 3-4 minutes. Taste it, and if its salty enough then leave it, if not, add a little more and beat again.
Decoration
- Once the cakes are cooled, put the first layer on the serving plate spread some of the buttercream onto the top of the first layer, add the second cake on top, and then top again with some of buttercream and then add the final sponge layer.
- Only use about 2 tbsp of buttercream per layer so that you have enough to decorate with!
- With the leftover buttercream, as you can see, I covered the sides (and top) too! Do a first layer of around the edge and top using a large metal scraper and refriergate for 30 minutes. Repeat again with a slightly thicker layer of buttercream.
- I slather it on all over using an off-set spatula, and then run the metal scraper round till its smooth. The more you put on, the thicker it’ll be as because you are making it smooth, more comes off than you realise with smoothing it over.
- Set the cake in the fridge for another 30 minutes.
- Loosen the caramel you are using by briefly mixing in a bowl. Add to a piping bag.
- Pipe it round the edge of the cake, edging over slight bits to create the drip. You don’t need to use too much per drip as it’ll drop quite far down by itself! Fill in the top with more caramel so the top is also covered. Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes.
- Pipe on the rest of your buttercream, and put on some Rolos, and sprinkles! Don’t pipe the buttercream too close to the edge of the cake as the weight might make it fall down (because of being on the caramel) so move it in slightly like I have! Enjoy!
Notes
- I seriously recommend using a Metal Scraper for the decoration of the buttercream, and the Disposable Piping Bags.. I wouldn't be anywhere without them!
- All of the decorations are completely optional – but I love this style of cake!
- To make a smaller 2 layer version of the cake:
- 250g Sugar, Butter Flour and 5 eggs!
- Split between two 8" tins!
- Use 2/3 of the decoration recipes!
- This cake will last in an airtight container for 3 days!
- I used the Carnations Caramel - not condensed milk, but the caramel by the same brand. You can also use Dr Oetker Salted Caramel fillings, just don't add more salt to it. You want a thick caramel to use, not a thin sauce.
ENJOY!
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J x
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I love this recipe! But i was wondering how you store your cakes? I’ve refrigerated them before but sometimes the buttercream can sweat but im scared of them melting. Any tips?
I always store them at room temp, unless it’s stopped with something fresh like cream cheese frosting, or fresh cream! You can put them in the fridge sometimes before cutting, otherwise they will start to dry out!
Hi, any tips for someone struggling to get hold of carnation caramel in this crazy covid world? Any good recipes for making my own???
THANKS!!!
Hey! So if you can find condensed milk, you can make your own using that (such as boiling the tin for four hours), or you can use my homemade caramel sauce recipe! Or any other caramel like it! x
Oh perfect! Thank you SO much!!!
I’ve just made some, buy carnations condensed milk, cover in a pan of water, Bring to the boil and let it simmer for 3 hours but keep an eye on the water to make sire the cam stays covered. I hope this helps 🙂
Hi Jane I’ve made this cake a couple of times now and it’s always been a big hit with everyone!! I’ve been asked to make it for a friend’s birthday and plan on topping it with chocolate bark and lots of sweets do you think I should add the 100g of plain flour to make it a firmer sponge for the additional weight as you previously mentioned or will it be ok as it is, many thanks.
Hey! It’s up to you! Using the 100g of plain can make it sturdier, but I have used this sponge recipe before without and it’s been fine to decorate I the same way, but I would leave out the baking powder – however, the caramel can be a bit soft for that and they sweets may slide off a bit! x
Such a fab, tasty cake! Made it several times but now been asked for a smaller size!
Any idea on quantities for a 6inch cake?
Thanks x
Ahh yay!! The best website to use for conversions is this one – http://www.cakebaker1.co.uk/apps-for-bakers/baking-tin-size-conversion-calculator/
The absolute don of crowd pleasers. This beauty got so much attention at my sons christening; people queued for a slice of it and left the professional £160 christening cake standing lonely at the other end of the table 😂!
So I learnt my lesson and didn’t bother to order a cake again when it came to his first birthday, I just used Jane’s Patisserie recipes to create a dessert table and it went down a storm!
These recipes are so well written that I felt really confident about giving them a go. I’ve not had a single fail yet. Milkybar cheesecake is next on my hit list! 🤩
Would it be ok to use homemade caramel sauce instead of carnations as cannot get any in the shops at the moment thanks
Yes it should be fine! Obviously your caramel sauce will need to be thick, and sometimes it needs a little less in your buttercream depending on the thickness of the sauce!
Hi jane!
How would I tweak the recipe to make it a 2 tier cake? 🙂
Thanks!
Have a look at the notes section!
Just read this answer in the notes, sorry!!
Is it necessary to pipe some caramel on the cake directly before putting on the buttercream? Would that help to keep the cake moist and add to the salted caramel flavour instead of using sugar syrup?
No – it just adds more caramel. Sugar syrup isn’t essential, but does help keep a cake moist!
Hi Jane, how tall does the 3 layers stack up to? How much of the recipe do I use if I want a it 3.5 inches tall?
I would say it’s roughly 4-4.5″ or so – but height can change from cake to cake!
Hi Jane,
Can I just confirm we add the eggs and flour all at the same point? I’m used to mixing in eggs first then the flour.
And do we just mixed until well combined. I see it says do not over mix but unsure how much is over mixing!
Also… my sandwich tins are around 1-1.5inch deep. Is that ok?
Thank you! X
Yeah so I add the eggs and flour in at the same time, and just mix till it’s cake mix! Your tins may be a smidge thin, but it might be okay!
I don’t have a stand mixer, I only have a hand mixer with whisk parts.. Will this work to mix the butter and caster sugar or do it by hand??
Do you mean an electric hand whisk? That’ll still work!
Do you need to reduce the number of eggs, baking powder and milk used if you go for the smaller (300g) version of the cake?!
Yep! So 300g of eggs = 6 medium. Baking powder will be 1tsp. Milk isn’t essential!
Hi! I am hoping to make this for a birthday cake next week for my son.
I hope you could help with a couple of questions?
I live in one place (east anglia) but the party is a 3hr train journey away (Sussex).
I leave on Thursday and the party is Saturday.
I have a stand mixer at home. But not at the venue!
I could either (a) make it at home and freeze it, take it (slowly defrosting) on the train, decorate and fondant on Friday and serve Saturday
Or (b) make it on Thursday/Friday but without a stand mixer
Which would you do!!?
And also to put fondant icing on do I adapt the recipe at all?
I am making 4 tiers (it’s a Harry Potter cake, so each tier needs to be a different colour 😳🙄).
Thank you!!
Ps sorry if I ended up posting this twice. Couldn’t seem to make the comments work on my phone
Hey! So typically when I make a wedding cake for a Saturday, I bake the sponges on a Tuesday, split & fill on the Wednesday, and cover with fondant on the Thursday. Any finishing decorations I then do on the Friday! It depends on how confident you are on doing it your way (in a lot less days) or you could similarly use my timeline so you’re not as stressed, and then travel with the cakes?
I would add in 100g plain flour to make the cake more madeira like (it sounds weird, but roll with me!) and then the sponge will be sturdier but still delicious!
Hi! I am hoping to make this for a birthday cake for my son.
I hope you could help with a couple of questions?
I live in one place but the party is a 3hr train journey away.
I leave on Thursday and the party is Saturday.
I have a stand mixer at home. Not at the venue!
I could either (a) make it at home and freeze it, take it slowly defrosting on the train, decorate and fondant on Friday and serve Saturday
Or (b) make it on Thursday/Friday but without a stand mixer
Which would you do!!?
And also to put fondant icing on do I adapt the recipe at all?
Thank you!!
Hi, just wondered if you did amend the recipe as Jane suggested with the plain flour? If so, did you add an extra 100g of plain flour to the recipe or just replace 100g of the self raising with plain? I have made the drip cake before but I want to make this as the top tier of a wedding cake with fondant icing so need it to be able to carry the weight. It will only be a 6″ cake. Would really appreciate yours or Jane’s advice
You add in the plain flour, you don’t take any other flour out!
Thanks Jane, what quantities do you think I would need for a 6″ cake and do you think it would bake ok in one deep tin at a lower temperature for a longer time? Not having the best of luck with my cakes at the moment, need all the help I can get!!
Please can you tell me how many eggs are required for the smaller 2 layer version?