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Salted Caramel Cake

May 21, 2022 By Gretchen 9 Comments

Three simple recipes is all you need to make this perfect Salted Caramel Cake

Salted Caramel Cake

Moist chocolate cake dripping with caramel in every bite

 

Perfect Caramel buttercream ties it all together

The caramel corn is optional but adds a fun and delicious touch for a unique decor!

Salted Caramel Cake

Many people have trouble with caramel, But in the video tutorial linked below I show you a valuable trick

Take your caramel game to the next level with this easy hack for super thick caramel!

Vegan Snickers Brownies

But first you will have to prepare your favorite Chocolate Cake Recipe and Buttercream

Hopefully your favorites happen to be my recipes!

Easy Chocolate Cake
Aquafaba Italian Meringue Buttercream
Italian Meringue Buttercream

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Buttercream Recipe

Salted Caramel Cake

I am using the the American Buttercream recipe today but since I am adding the caramel to it

I held back on two cups of the sugar, otherwise it would be way too sweet

I have not been using shortening in my buttercream recipes lately and because I am not leaving this cake sit out at room temperature for more than an hour

The stability is totally fine!

If you have to travel with this cake or let it stay out at room temperature for more than 4 hours I would recommend to use the shortening addition for more stability

You can of course use any caramel recipe you love the most, and I have several options to choose from here on my website

I am using traditional cooked caramel for this with a hack you won’t want to miss for super thick caramel!

Once again the caramel popcorn is optional but it’s really fun and easy to make!

Salted Caramel Cake

One last note!

For an alternative recipe to the chocolate you may want to try my latest creation for

Caramel Cake Layers!

Yes the actual sponge cake is caramel!

I made it in my Billionaire Banana Pudding Cake and it is so fantastic!

Banana Pudding Cake

Notes for Success:

The caramel popcorn will not stay crunchy for long, since humidity is the enemy of caramel

Especially if you refrigerate this cake with the caramel corn decor, the popcorn will get soggy after about a day

The chocolate cake layers can be made ahead of time up to one week stored in the refrigerator or freezer wrapped well to prevent drying out.

While I do have five recipes of buttercream to choose from, I find the American Buttercream recipe to be the easiest and most stable when it comes to adding in flavors

Of course you can use any recipe you prefer just be sure not to “break” the emulsion by adding in the caramel sauce

Very important that the caramel is super cold before adding it to the buttercream

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT FLAVORING YOUR BUTTERCREAM

For more awesome layer cakes like this one click the links below!

Snickers Cake ~Vegan
Snickers Cake
Girl Scout Samoa Cake
Samoa Cake
Pralines and Cream Cake
Pralines & Cream Cake

Snickers Cake

Girl Scout Samoa Cake

Pralines and Cream Cake

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS CAKE

Salted Caramel Cake

5.0 from 2 reviews
Salted Caramel Cake
 
Print
Prep time
4 hours
Bake time
30 mins
Total time
4 hours 30 mins
 
I use 7" cake pans for 3- Layers of cake, but if you only have 8" layers just divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans for a 2-layer cake
Serves: serves 10ppl
Ingredients
  • 1 Recipe Chocolate Cake
  • 1 Recipe American Buttercream *minus 2 cups of confectioners sugar from the recipe
  • Caramel Sauce:
  • Granulated Sugar 2 cups (400g)
  • Water 6 Tablespoons (90ml)
  • White Vinegar 2 teaspoons (10ml)
  • Salt 1 teaspoon
  • Canned Coconut Milk 1 cup (240ml)
  • Caramel Corn:
  • Kernel Corn ¼ cup
  • Coconut Oil 1 Tablespoon
  • Brown Sugar ½ cup (100g)
  • Vegan Butter 6 Tablespoons (85g)
  • Baking Soda ¼ teaspoon
  • Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon (5ml)
  • Salt ¼ teaspoon
Instructions
  1. Grease & parchment line the cake pans and preheat your oven to 350°
  2. Follow the recipe instructions for the chocolate cake recipe
  3. Prepare the buttercream recipe of your choice while the cakes are baking.
  4. Prepare the caramel sauce recipe by combing the sugar, vinegar & water together in a heavy bottom sauce pot, stirring to dissolve the sugar before it comes to a boil
  5. Once the sugar mixture is boiling DO NOT STIR
  6. Bring to 320°F or once the color of the syrup turns from pale yellow to medium amber then remove it from the heat
  7. Let the pot stand for about an minute then add the coconut milk gently while stirring BE VERY CAREFUL AS THE HOT SUGAR SYRUP WILL BUBBLE UP & SPATTER!
  8. Add the salt & vanilla extract then pour into a heat proof container to cool slightly
  9. Pour the caramel into the work bowl of your stand mixer with the balloon attachment and whip on low speed first to be sure there is so spattering, then slowly increase the speed to medium and whip for about 8-10 minutes.
  10. The caramel will cool as you whip while incorporating air, turning it lighter and thicker.
  11. it will also thicken as it is refrigerated.
  12. Add about ¾ cup of cooled caramel sauce to the buttercream recipe and whip smooth
  13. Once the cakes are cooled you can assemble the cake as shown in the video tutorial
  14. For the Caramel Corn:
  15. First pop the corn by combing the coconut oil and the kernel corn in an 8qt stock pot with a heavy bottom.
  16. Over high heat with the lid on, shake the pan once in a while to coat the kernels with hot oil and wait for it to start popping
  17. Once it is popping quite vigorously turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook until the popping slows down
  18. Remove from heat and pour the popped corn into a large bowl
  19. Prepare the caramel by combining the vegan butter with the brown sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar over low heat
  20. Once it comes to a boil stop stirring and let it boil until it reaches 300°F on a candy thermometer
  21. If you don't have a candy thermometer it's ok, just let it boil for about 4 minutes then remove it from the heat and stir in the salt, baking soda and vanilla extract stirring to incorporate, it will bubble up slightly so be careful
  22. Pour the hot caramel over the popped corn in the large bowl and toss to coat evenly
  23. Pour the caramel corn out onto a lightly oiled sheet pan or a silicone mat to cool
  24. Store in an airtight container to prevent it going stale & getting sticky
Notes
Salted Carmel Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days in very cool temperatures
For longer storage cover loosely and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week
* the caramel corn will melt & go sticky when refrigerated
3.5.3251

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cake Decorating, Cake Recipes, Layer Cakes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Daisy Aviet

    May 21, 2022 at 9:32 am

    Hi Gretchen
    What can i say, but another MASTERPIECE. Wow its so beautiful,love the caramel tip, will try this again. With your help i made the salted caramel with vanilla cake, beautiful cake, then i made salted caramel cake with chocolate cake and roasted peanuts with peanut butter filling. It was amazing. Thanks so much for generosity and talent. Love you work
    Much appreciation and kind regards.

    Reply
    • Gretchen

      May 21, 2022 at 3:16 pm

      awesome!! Sorry it took me so long but I’m glad I came back around to do this one! Your Idea!

      Reply
  2. Lucia

    June 11, 2022 at 8:09 am

    Hi Getchen! I’m a big fan of you☺️
    Can I use soy milk conversion to coconut milk? I’m trying to make a vegan caramel these days. I started with a recipe in the book you wrote. But I failed every time, and I found this reciepe.

    Reply
    • Gretchen

      June 11, 2022 at 12:47 pm

      Hi! For which part? I mean yes you can sue any plant milk you prefer, but I am curious as to which part of the recipe? The cake batter itself?

      Reply
  3. Jean Rowe

    September 26, 2022 at 3:25 pm

    Gretchen, hello! I am about to make this cake for us to celebrate my husband’s 60th on Sunday. I am also a vegan, and this will be my first foray into such a luscious cake endeavor. I’ve watched the video a couple of times. Looks like I can make the cake layers today (2 in 8 inch pans). After they cool, I plan to wrap in plastic (separately) and freeze.

    How many days ahead can I make the buttercream and caramel?

    Ice the cake with the layers straight out of the freezer same day or one day ahead?

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Gretchen

      September 26, 2022 at 4:47 pm

      Hi Jean! Awesome! While everything about this cake can be made on the same day, I just find it easier to break it up into two (or more) since you definitely need those cake layers cold before assembling
      That said, you can bake the layers today yes, wrap in plastic separately and freeze until Friday or Saturday? I guess you would be building it?
      At any rate you can make the buttercream up to 1 week ahead, just CLICK HERE FOR RE-WHIPPING buttercream to spreadable workable consistency
      I Always ice frozen cake layers, since technically they won’t be very frozen by the time you even get your 3rd layer on there! They thaw fast & cold cake is much easier to work with!

      Reply
  4. Danielle

    October 17, 2022 at 5:01 pm

    I love this recipe. I used it for a party this summer and it was a huge hit. There were only two vegans there, me and one other person, but everyone loved it.

    I used your vanilla cake recipe, as I love vanilla and caramel much more than chocolate and caramel. It was so beautiful, too.

    Oh, and I brought the caramel for the top separately and poured it over in front of the other guests, everyone was mesmerized! lol

    Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
  5. Sue Purdy

    December 22, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    HI again Gretchen – Can I double your salted caramel recipe, or should I make it in single batches? Wondered if you have ever tested this. I am using it in the filling of several cakes, along with pecans and chocolate ganache, so will need a large amount.
    Thank you in advance, and thank you also for sharing your amazing expertise and talent so generously!

    Reply
    • Gretchen

      December 22, 2022 at 6:57 pm

      Yes to double! I do it all the time just be sure your pot is large enough as it does bubble up quite aggressively! Thank you & your welcome too!

      Reply

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Yep, it's me Gretchen~ Owner of Gretchen's Bakery. Well, I no longer own a physical bakery since I sold mine in late 2014 & since 2016 I make nothing but the best vegan recipes! Read More…

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