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Salted Caramel Spice Cake

Course Dessert
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

For the Salted Caramel Sauce:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Spice Cake:

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 eggs at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup sour cream at room temperature

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese cold
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Salted Caramel Sauce:

  • Heat sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until melted, stirring occasionally.
  • Add butter, stirring until incorporated.
  • Stir in cream, vanilla, and salt until combined.
  • Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened, then let cool completely.

For the Spice Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.
  • Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, then mix in buttermilk and sour cream.
  • Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until smooth. Divide batter between pans and bake for 23-26 minutes.
  • Let cakes cool completely on wire racks.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Beat butter until fluffy, then mix in cold cream cheese until smooth.
  • Gradually add powdered sugar until creamy and fluffy.

Assembling & Decorating the Cake:

  • Spread frosting between cake layers, adding caramel sauce on top.
  • Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to the cake, then chill for 20 minutes.
  • Frost cake with remaining frosting and chill for another 20 minutes.
  • Pipe caramel drip around the edges of the cake, then decorate with frosting swirls, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.
  • Now, serve up a slice of this heavenly spice cake and enjoy the taste of fall!