Finished off with a silky Swiss meringue buttercream and a generous pour of salted caramel, this sheet cake is pure butterscotch bliss.
Butterscotch Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream
Makes about 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2⁄3 cup (113 grams) butterscotch morsels
- 1⁄4 cup (60 grams) water
- 1⁄2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 11⁄2 cups (330 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs (150 grams)
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- 21⁄4 cups (281 grams) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking soda
- 1 cup (240 grams) heavy whipping cream
- Salted Caramel Buttercream (recipe follows)
- 2⁄3 cup (168 grams) Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
- Garnish: Maldon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan; spray pan again.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine butterscotch morsels and 1⁄4 cup (60 grams) water. Microwave on high in 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and butterscotch mixture.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan. Spread Salted Caramel Buttercream onto cooled cake. Drizzle with Salted Caramel, and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
Salted Caramel Buttercream
Makes 4 cups
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites (90 grams), room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 11⁄2 cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, softened and cubed
- 2⁄3 cup (168 grams) Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together egg whites and sugar by hand. Place mixer bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture registers 155°F (68°C) to 160°F (71°C) on a candy thermometer.
- Carefully return bowl to stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat at high speed until stiff peaks form and bowl is cool to the touch, about 5 minutes. Add butter, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) at a time, beating until combined. Add Salted Caramel Sauce, and beat until smooth, about
- minutes. (If buttercream breaks, beat 2 to 3 minutes more, and the emulsion will come back together.) Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If refrigerating, let frosting come to room temperature before using.
Salted Caramel Sauce
Makes about 1½ cups
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup (120 grams) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) Maldon sea salt
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (60 grams) water, divided
- 6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter, softened and cubed
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat cream and salt over very low heat. Simmer until salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat sugar and 3 tablespoons (45 grams) water over high heat, being careful not to splash sides of pan. (It should be the consistency of wet sand.) Use remaining
- tablespoon (15 grams) water to brush down sides of pan, and stir to help sugar dissolve. (Do not stir once it starts to boil.) Cook until desired light amber color is reached and a candy thermometer registers 330°F (166°C). Remove from heat; slowly add warm cream mixture, whisking to combine. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking until combined. Stir in vanilla. Let cool completely.
Could this recipe be converted as-is for cupcakes?
Hi Isabel, thank you for reaching out! Yes, you can turn these into cupcakes- just add them in a cupcake tin, instead. You may have left over batter and be sure to keep an extra eye on the baking time as it will vary. We suggest baking until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Happy Baking!
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