Butterscotch cake is a delicious dessert that incorporates the rich and sweet flavor of butterscotch. Butterscotch is a confectionery made by melting butter and brown sugar together, often with the addition of cream. The result is a smooth and buttery caramel-like flavor with hints of toffee.
To make butterscotch cake, the butterscotch flavor is typically infused into the cake batter, either by incorporating butterscotch chips, butterscotch sauce, or a combination of both. The cake itself can be a simple vanilla or yellow cake base, complementing the butterscotch flavor.
Butterscotch Cake
6
servings1
hour50
minutes25
minutesCommon elements in a butterscotch cake might include layers of moist cake, butterscotch frosting, and sometimes a drizzle of butterscotch sauce for added sweetness and flavor. It’s a delightful treat for those who enjoy the distinct taste of butterscotch.
Ingredients
- For the Butterscotch Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
- For the Butterscotch Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup butterscotch sauce (prepared earlier)
4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk (if needed for consistency)
Additional butterscotch sauce for drizzling (optional)
Directions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the brown sugar and stir until well combined.
- Pour in the heavy cream and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and starts to bubble.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Allow the butterscotch sauce to cool before using it in the cake and frosting.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in 1 cup of the prepared butterscotch sauce until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, you can add a little milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Once the cakes are completely cooled, spread a layer of frosting on top of one cake layer. Place the second layer on top and frost the entire cake with the butterscotch frosting.
- Optionally, drizzle additional butterscotch sauce on top for decoration.
