Brown Butter Frosting on Salted Caramel Butterscotch Cake

This Salted Caramel Butterscotch Cake is delicious and rich, with three layers of luscious butterscotch cake and a lovely brown butter frosting. Ideal for any autumn event!

The Best Butterscotch Cake Recipe

This Salted Caramel Butterscotch Cake is one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever prepared. Toasted pecans, three layers of butterscotch cake, loads of salted caramel, and brown butter icing are all present. (This is the same frosting I use on my banana cake.) Not to mention a splash of bourbon, because why not? I’m completely obsessed.

I’ve shared portions with a few others to keep from devouring the whole cake, and one colleague said that it reminded him of Werther’s Original Candy. I’ll take it!

I prepared three delicious layers of cake in 8-inch pans, and it all starts with a cake mix. Using a cake mix simplifies the preparation significantly, but don’t worry, we jazz it up with brown sugar, butterscotch pudding, butterscotch chips, and buttermilk. Nobody will suspect you began with a cake mix!

The brown butter icing is what truly elevates this butterscotch cake above the others. It’s created using ordinary and brown butter, which gives it a somewhat nutty taste. The frosting is very thick, but it complements the cake well. With some salted caramel sauce on top, it’s total perfection!

Why Is This Cake the Best?

One of the finest desserts I’ve ever had was this Salted Caramel Butterscotch cake. Here are a few of the elements that make it so unique.

• Super moist, tender cake layers.
• To make preparation fast and uncomplicated, a box cake mix is used.
• Rich, warm butterscotch flavor throughout.
• Beautiful bourbon taste in the cake and frosting (but feel free to leave it out!)
• Toppings include thick, creamy icing and salted caramel sauce.

What is the Butterscotch Flavor?

Butterscotch is a taste that is difficult to explain since it is so distinct. It is created with butter and brown sugar and is comparable to caramel. It has a taste that is warm, somewhat nutty, and quite fragrant.

Are butterscotch and caramel the same?

Butterscotch and caramel are close but not identical flavors. White sugar is used to make caramel, whereas brown sugar is used to make butterscotch. Caramel is also seldom produced using butter. This cake has both caramel and butterscotch tastes, and you can certainly taste the difference.

Recipe Ingredients

This salted caramel butterscotch cake will need the following ingredients. The majority of the items are most likely already in your cupboard. Full measurements may be found on the recipe card.

For the cake:

• Toasted and split pecans for use in various portions of the dish.
• White cake mix Any brand will work.
• Butterscotch pudding Make sure its instant.
• Brown sugar has a more rich, caramel-like taste than white sugar.
• Butterscotch chips Melted.
• Eggs
• Buttermilk You may use milk instead or create your own buttermilk.
• Vegetable oil Helps to keep the cake moist.
• Sour cream also helps to keep the cake moist and adds taste.
• Bourbon Optional but I like the flavor it adds.

For the frosting:

• unseasoned butter Divided because some of it will be browned.
• Powdered sugar adds a sweet and silky texture to the dish.
• Bourbon Adds flavor.
• Whipping cream (heavy) It aids in the retention of the frosting’s form.
• Caramel sauce with salt This is commonly accessible in the ice cream topping area of most shops.

How to Make Salted Caramel Butterscotch Cake

This sumptuous cake is made in two parts: baking and cooling the cake layers, followed by creating the frosting and decorating the cake.

For the Cake:

• The pecans should be toasted. Toast the pecans for 5 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow to cool before chopping into smaller pieces.
• Prepare the batter. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Melt the butterscotch chips in 30-second intervals until smooth. To the dry ingredients, add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, sour cream, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix on low until the ingredients are combined. Increase the speed to high and stir in the melted butterscotch. Mix until fully blended, then fold in a cup of roasted pecans.
• Bake. Distribute the batter equally among the cake pans. Bake for 21 to 25 minutes, or until well cooked.

For the Frosting:

• Melt the butter. Melt the butter in tiny chunks over medium heat. Allow to boil and bubble for a few minutes. Stir often as it gets amber and has a nutty fragrance. Freeze for 20 to 25 minutes before stirring until smooth.
• Whip the butter in a mixing bowl. Whip the remaining butter until light in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Incorporate the cooled brown butter.
• Combine the remaining ingredients. Mix in 3 cups powdered sugar until well combined. Pour in the bourbon, then 3 cups of powdered sugar, salt, and heavy cream. After incorporating the last cup of powdered sugar, beat on high for a minute.

How to Assemble:

• Make the first layer of the cake. Cut the domes off each cake so that they are flat.
• Cakes should be layered. Pipe a layer of frosting onto the first cake, beginning at the border and working your way in. Using a spatula, spread evenly. Repeat with the second layer. Invert the third layer and place it on top. This creates a beautiful, level top for icing.
• Finish with the crumb coat. Fill up any gaps between the layers with an offset spatula and apply a crumb coat. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
• Finish the icing on the cake. To obtain a lovely, smooth edge, use an offset spatula or icing smoother to frost the outside and edges of the cake.
• Garnish with parsley and serve. Just before serving, press the remaining nuts into the bottom border of the cake and sprinkle with caramel sauce.

Tips for Success

Here are a few pointers to make this butterscotch cake even simpler to create.

• Line and grease the cake pans. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans to aid in the easy release of the cake after baking. To prevent sticking, I cover the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.
• Can I use 9-inch baking pans? Yes, however your layers will be thinner and the baking time will need to be adjusted by a few minutes.
• Make careful to continually whisk the butter. It is critical to regularly whisk the butter as it begins to boil. The distinction between nutty browned butter and scorched butter is fine. Also, let it cool before mixing it back into the frosting. Otherwise, it will entirely melt! More brown butter suggestions may be found in this post.
• After the crumb coat, chill the cake. The crumb coat aids in the creation of a smooth, clean final application of frosting. However, before applying the second layer of icing, let it to set and refrigerate.
• Just before serving, drizzle with caramel. Refrigerate the butterscotch cake until just before serving. However, I suggest delaying the addition of the caramel since it does drip down the sides!

Storage & Freezing

The salted caramel butterscotch cake may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I suggest using a cake container since it is the most convenient method to keep it covered.

The cake may also be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Personally, I believe that freezing individual cake layers without icing is preferable. Wrap them twice in plastic wrap and place them in the freezer. Individual slices, wrapped firmly in plastic wrap and foil, may be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Print

More Decadent Cake Recipes:

• Funfetti Ice Cream Cake
• Baileys Ice Cream Cake
• No Bake Oreo Mousse Cake
• Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Frosting
• Easy Rainbow Cake