Mama Ruby's Made-From-Scratch Caramel Cake Recipe

I love making cakes at home; the experience of making something from scratch is always so fun.

Mama Ruby's Delicious Caramel Cake Made from Scratch

I love caramel cake. My mom's is the best! Luckily for you all, she gave me permission to share her delicious, popular recipe with you all. Learn how to make both the cake and icing from scratch.

Caramel is one of my most favorite sweets and tasty delights! Here's a brief history that you may find interesting: Caramel is basically an American confection that can be traced back to as early as the 17th century. Folks began using caramelized sugar with water to make goodies and ate these as candies.

However, since it was so delicious, easy to make and transport, and had such a long-lasting shelf life, other advanced variations started happening. By the mid-1850s, someone discovered that the addition of milk and fat to the caramelized sugar yielded a sweet, chewy confection, which we know as caramel. Caramel was born and has continued to gain popularity! You can enjoy it in this cake, for one.

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Caramel Cake and Icing

For the cake:

• 2 sticks of butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 8 ounces of sour cream
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt

For the icing:

• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions for the Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 355F.
2. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy.
3. Add eggs one at a time and beat. Then, add sour cream.
4. Fully mix in dry ingredients until batter is relatively smooth.
5. Prepare your three cake pans and lightly butter and flour them.
6. Pour your cake batter into the three lightly buttered and floured pans and smooth out.
7. Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let cake(s) cool for about five minutes in the pan, then turn them over on a cooling rack(s).

Adding eggs into your cake batter.

1 / 3

Instructions for the Caramel Frosting

1. Melt butter and brown sugar and evaporated milk.
2. Cook for two minutes over medium heat. Add vanilla and mix. (Note: Make sure this is no longer than two minutes, so you don't burn your frosting).
3. Remove immediately from heat after two minutes.
4. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

The frosting should be enough for a three-layer cake. Once you are done making both components, frost your cake layers to your liking and enjoy!

© 2008 Barbara Isbill

I Hope You Will Sign My Guestbook: Home Made Caramel Cake Comments

Valerie Washington from Tempe, Arizona on December 24, 2019:

Yummy! I’m going to make this cake for my daughter on her birthday. She loves caramel cake!!! Great recipe and story as well.

Heather on April 16, 2019:

I was wondering why your picture of the cake didn’t have a smooth, pretty icing. Let me back up and say this was my first time making caramel cake. Now I understand why the icing wasn’t smooth and pretty. I often and have a small home based bakery and that icing about defeated me. It’s hard to handle at first but easier as it cools off. Also very delicious! Thank you for the recipe!

SueCatintheport on August 15, 2017:

I made this cake. The cake layers were tender, delicious and not too sweet. The frosting is sweet but oh so good and is a nice contrast to the cake layers. I have never had a cake turn out so tall, very impressive. I will make this again and again.

MDR on August 06, 2017:

Thanks for the the recipe I make it every week for the past year. My family love caramel cake..

Carolyn Fountain on June 04, 2017:

I love this cake. It is the best cake I have ever made.

Susan, Oakland, ca on February 28, 2016:

This has become one of my my "go-to" cakes. It always turns out perfectly and is always the delight of any gathering. I am at sea level and find that the baking time is shorter by about 5 minutes. Also the cakes moisture is enhanced by brushing between layers with a little liquid. I use a little rum or vanilla flavor in water. Finally figured out that the cake looks better if frosted while the icing is hot. At a recent birthday party where there was a red velvet cake and a peach cobbler, the guest gathered around the caramel cake and and chanted, "cut the cake, cut the cake". U till it was gone. Very gratifying for a baker.

Thank you for sharing the recipe and the legacy of your precious Mom.

Kathryn Grace from San Francisco on December 08, 2014:

Oh my goodness, I remember caramel cakes from my childhood. This is a must-try recipe! Pinning.

Brenda norton on November 17, 2014:

So excited to try your recipes. I love caramel! Thank you for caramel cake recipe!!! Can't wait to make it.

justinespeaks13 on September 13, 2013:

I love caramel cake!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on June 29, 2013:

@Melissa Miotke: Thank you and have a great day!

Melissa Miotke from Arizona on June 25, 2013:

I've actually never tried caramel cake but I love caramel so I'm sure I'd love it!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on May 18, 2013:

@SheGetsCreative: Yep! m Yummy!

Angela F from Seattle, WA on April 30, 2013:

My grandmother made something very similar - so yummy!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on April 30, 2013:

@Cynthia Haltom: Thanks, Have a great day

anonymous on April 27, 2013:

Did just now the caramel icing and it turned out overly sweet! I should have decreased the icing sugar to at least 1 cup. I placed it back on the stove and added 1.5 cans of evap milk hoping it could lessen the sugary taste.

Cynthia Haltom from Diamondhead on April 11, 2013:

Yummy yummy. Thanks for sharing these wonderful recipes.

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on March 22, 2013:

@anonymous: Thanks! It is great!

anonymous on March 15, 2013:

I wish you and your families would be healthy and happy, i like your mama's cake, it loos so warm and sweet.

LouisaDembul on March 15, 2013:

I'd really love to try this caramel cake

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on January 16, 2013:

@rawwwwwws lm: Thanks for visit and comments. Have a great day!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on January 16, 2013:

@rawwwwwws lm: Thanks for visit and comments. Have a great day!

rawwwwwws lm on January 15, 2013:

Yum! Caramel is my favorite, I must try this out

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on January 09, 2013:

@MaysLounge: Thank You so much for your comment and visit!

MaysLounge on January 02, 2013:

I absolutely love caramel cakes. Thanks for the recipe!

anonymous on December 14, 2012:

I can't wait to try this caramel cake

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on December 10, 2012:

@misskristinathorpe: Delicious!

misskristinathorpe on December 03, 2012:

awesome i can't wait to try it :)

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on November 02, 2012:

@makemoneyonline5: Had some of this cake last week! Yummy! Thanks for visit!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on November 02, 2012:

@alexzone2020: Thanks for the visit!

alexzone2020 on October 31, 2012:

awesome...

makemoneyonline5 on October 29, 2012:

I love love love Caramel and your lens is awesome! Thank you for sharing.

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on October 19, 2012:

@anonymous: Thanks for the visit and comments.

anonymous on October 17, 2012:

a really great lens.. i attempted the quiz but 0/5. :( i should update myself..!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on September 12, 2012:

@aylsbillones1: Thank you for the visit and comments!

aylsbillones1 on September 08, 2012:

Thank you for sharing, I will try this one. I love caramel cake..

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on August 30, 2012:

@imjens: Thanks for the visit!

imjens on August 27, 2012:

Nice lens. My grandma has a really great and easy recipe for caramels.

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on July 17, 2012:

@JenwithMisty: It is a great dessert! Thanks for the visit and have a great day!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on July 17, 2012:

@EdwardCarr: Thanks for the visit and have a great day!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on July 17, 2012:

@MarcellaCarlton: It is delicious! Thanks for the visit and have a great day!

MarcellaCarlton on July 09, 2012:

How did it take me so long to find this! I love caramel. This is an exceptional lens.

EdwardCarr on July 09, 2012:

I love caramel in general and specifically caramel cake! Great lense!

Jen withFlash on July 08, 2012:

The cake sounds delicious!! I would love to try making it someday!

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on July 07, 2012:

@CCGAL: Thanks for coming by!

CCGAL on July 04, 2012:

Pinned to Recipes I Want To Try - because this winter when it is cool enough to turn on the oven in the RV, I am sooooo gonna make the caramel cake and frosting from this recipe. I can tell from reading it that it is going to be rich and delicious and I can hardly wait to make one.

anonymous on June 13, 2012:

Wow..looks good! Nice lens

anonymous on June 11, 2012:

Cake was delicious my honey was thrilled with it!!

Dickstucki1 on May 29, 2012:

Nice lens They look great.

anonymous on May 28, 2012:

I am going to try this

Rose Jones on May 26, 2012:

This is a wonderful lens: it has a personal story, beautiful pictures and clear directions, and I personally know that caramel cake is terrific. Angel Blessed!

Rose Jones on May 24, 2012:

Why do I come to pages like this? Oh that's right, because I was instructed by Squidoo to find something "yummy." This suits the bill perfectly - very good lens, love the personal approach. Squid Angel Blessed! (But is there a difference between caramel and carmel? or just spelling)

Rose Jones on May 24, 2012:

@Lee Hansen: Yeah, chocolate - because it is not rich enough already! Pastiche you are a wild thing.

Elyn MacInnis from Shanghai, China on May 20, 2012:

I love caramel. And the recipe looks good!

MissSweety on May 15, 2012:

Very nice lens, thanks for sharing it :)

AnimalHouse on May 11, 2012:

Sweet lens. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

Lee Hansen from Vermont on April 23, 2012:

Never heard of this caramel cake until now. I love caramels, so I would probably enjoy this home made cake. I wonder if I can add some chocolate to it somehow?

Barbara Isbill (author) from New Market Tn 37820 on April 05, 2012:

@anonymous: Here are Some tips From:

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/tips...

Increase flour. Slightly increasing the amount of flour can strengthen the cake during baking and reduce the chances of it caving in. Flour should be increased 1 to 4 tbsp, depending on the recipe and elevation. Add 1 tbsp of flour per cup of flour required in the recipe. As altitude rises, additional tablespoons of flour can be added. All-purpose flour works well at high altitudes and may be preferable to cake flour because of its higher protein content, which improves strength and shape retention during and after baking.

Add eggs or egg yolks. Eggs act as a structural ingredient in baking, with an effect sometimes compared to that of the protein, gluten. Eggs also improve moisture retention. For instance, if a recipe calls for large eggs, it may help to use extra large eggs instead when baking at high altitude.

Reduce leavening agent. Since lower air pressure increases the chances that the cake will rise quickly and then collapse, reducing the leavener will in turn reduce the chances that the cake will rise too quickly. Reduce by about 1/8 to 2/3 teaspoon, depending on the altitude. If using whipped eggs whites as a leavener, whip them until they form soft peaks rather than stiff peaks. This will leave more room for expansion during baking, reducing the chances that the cake will collapse.

Increase oven temperature or baking time. Oven heat can be increased about 25°F if the baking time is kept the same, or the baking time can be increased if the temperature is kept around a moderate 350°Fâtry 10 to 15 minutes to start, but you may need to experiment.

anonymous on April 05, 2012:

I just tried making it and it was delicious! i had just one problem i live in mexico and whenever i make a cake if it is not adjusted for high altitud it tends to sink in the middle while bakin, which is exactly what happened to this recipe, would you by any chance have a high altitud recipe for this cake? or any advises on what i could do? also is the sugar used for the bread regular sugar or is it brown sugar? i would appreciate your answer, thank you very much

top-notch-shop on March 28, 2012:

Fantastic lens,homemade cakes are the best

MelonyVaughan on March 23, 2012:

What a wonderful lens! Great recipes!

anonymous on March 07, 2012:

THANKS FOR SHARING THIS CAKE RECIPE GOING TO TRY IT!!

jordanmilesbask on March 07, 2012:

Now, I feel like eating caramel..Yum!

WriterJanis2 on February 20, 2012:

Thumbs up and yummy.

fugeecat lm on February 19, 2012:

mmmmm, carmel.

anonymous on January 29, 2012:

delicious and well done article, enjoyed seeing this.

anonymous on January 08, 2012:

The cake sounds gorgeous. Thanks for sharing it.

maplesyrup59 on January 07, 2012:

I love anything caramel!

anonymous on January 07, 2012:

nice recipe i will try it. i hope u like my recipe also thanks

anonymous on January 07, 2012:

nice recipe i will try it. i hope u like my recipe also thanks

anonymous on January 06, 2012:

nice...........

WaynesWorld LM on December 30, 2011:

I was here...

@->-

Nice lens!

kimark421 on December 26, 2011:

I am the dessert eating king, but can honestly say I have never had caramel cake. I will remedy that soon!! Great lens!

durham on December 23, 2011:

The video was an awesome touch, it helps to see as well as read the instructions!

ladykida on December 18, 2011:

I love Mama Ruby!

anonymous on December 12, 2011:

You're making me fat! Great recipe, great lens.

Cynthia Sylvestermouse from United States on December 10, 2011:

Oh, this brings back a flood of memories for me! My grandmother used to make a Caramel cake every year for Christmas.

maryrecipe on December 07, 2011:

nice lens

HubLens Admin on December 06, 2011:

Thanks Mama Ruby for passing down the recipe! It is very generous of this lens to share the homecade caramel cake sweetness -

RobinDM on November 24, 2011:

Yum, yum! Can't wait to try your recipe!

Johanna Eisler on November 23, 2011:

I'd be happy to sign your guestbook! What a delicious lens!

anonymous on November 19, 2011:

Delicious. I enjoyed this fantastic lens so much. Squid-liked!

BlondeBomber on October 28, 2011:

I have been wanting to bake a caramel inspired dessert! It looks like this might have to be it. Thanks for sharing.

ScareYouDiva on October 22, 2011:

Great lens

ScareYouDiva on October 22, 2011:

Great lens!

coconutplaza on October 01, 2011:

Tropicana 100 % Coconut oil is pure and suitable to consume for health. It made from the best strain coconut from Tapee basin and produced by cold press production. There is high lauric acid which is http://www.coconutplaza.com

lucybrz1 on October 01, 2011:

Thanks for sharing mama's recipe.

anonymous on September 27, 2011:

Thanks for the great recipes. I love your lens.

Tracy Gibb on September 22, 2011:

This looks so good!

Runnn on August 27, 2011:

Yummy, thanks for sharing the recipe!!

giftsandevents on August 20, 2011:

Caramel cakes would always make me smile and this flavor is perfect for wedding cakes! Brides would always love to have a taste of caramel from their cake.

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Wedding Cake Accessories

anonymous on August 16, 2011:

I have always loved caramel but have never tried cooking. As always Moms are the best cooks.

irenemaria from Sweden on August 12, 2011:

I liked that video. Makes it more clear to understand this yummy lens.

Heather Burns from Wexford, Ireland on August 10, 2011:

I am so hungry for caramel now! Well done!

bikerministry on July 17, 2011:

Mama Ruby's Caramel Cake - sounds like a "burnt sugar" cake I used to have the recipe for years ago. My husband says - save that recipe!! He's ready for the mess in the kitchen for this one!! I'm notorious for a huge mess when I bake from scratch.

anonymous on July 12, 2011:

great!

rhondagoforth on July 03, 2011:

Mmmm! I love caramel. Can't wait to try this cake! Thanks for sharing.

MamaRuth on June 12, 2011:

Caramel cake is one of my favorites and this looks great!

akumar46 lm on May 21, 2011:

Nice Caramel Cakes........Great....

myshelle01 on May 17, 2011:

A lovely lens and another recipe for me, a recipe collector, to try.Thank you also for your recent visit to my mens cooking help lens.

bames24 lm on May 13, 2011:

great lens :)