From the Cook
From the Cook
From the Cook
From the Cook
1/5
Caramel Layer Cake with Vanilla Bean German Buttercream
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Caramel Sauce
1
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In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and water. Heat over medium high heat, swirling often to encourage even cooking. When it comes to a boil reduce heat to medium.
2
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When the color turns an even medium amber color remove from heat and add the butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking to combine. Whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla. Allow to cool for a few minutes before pouring into a bowl to cool completely.
Cake
1
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line 3 6 inch cake pans with parchment paper.
2
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3
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In a separate bowl combine the caramel sauce, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.
4
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Cut up the butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until it resembles wet sand.
5
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Add half of the wet ingredients to the dry, then scrape down the bowl. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
6
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Lastly, beat in the eggs until fully combined.
7
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Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 32-38 minutes.
German Buttercream
1
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Start with the pastry cream. Heat the milk in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer or about 200 degrees F.
2
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Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together for 2-3 minutes until light in color.
3
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Once the milk is simmering, slowly pour half into the egg-sugar mixture, whisking at the same time to temper the eggs.
4
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Pour everything back into the saucepan and heat over medium heat, whisking constantly. After a couple minutes, a layer of bubbles will form over the top and it will begin to thicken.
5
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Once the bubbles disappear, continue whisking for one more minute, then remove from heat.
6
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Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly up against the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill overnight.
7
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Make the buttercream by beating the pastry cream for about 10 minutes on low speed until it warms up to about 70 degrees.
8
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Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, and beat on medium speed. If it looks curdled at all, continue beating on low speed until smooth.
9
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Add the mascarpone, vanilla paste, and salt, and beat until fully incorporated.
Assemble
1
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Secure the first cake layer on the cake stand with a small amount of frosting on the bottom. Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to measure out the frosting for each layer. I used a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop and put 3 scoops of frosting on each layer. Place the second cake layer on top, and add another 3 tablespoon of buttercream on top, then place the last cake layer on top.
2
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If your cake layers were frozen overnight then there is no need for a crumb coat. For this smooth buttercream look with a ridge, add an even layer of buttercream around the sides and smooth over with a straight edged frosting scraper. Leave a ridge around the top of the cake to hold in the caramel sauce.
3
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Pour the remaining caramel sauce on top of the cake and add flakey sea salt, if desired.
4
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Keep the cake at room temperature until ready to serve.
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Tips & Tricks (5)
- Caramel Swirl Integration 🌀Reserve half your caramel sauce to fold into the batter just before baking—this creates pockets of caramel throughout rather than a single dense layer, ensuring every bite has balanced sweetness and moisture.
- German Buttercream Temperature Control 🌡️Whip the custard base to precisely 160°F before cooling to ensure food safety, then add cold butter in small pieces while beating—this technique prevents curdling and creates that signature light, fluffy texture.
- Yogurt for Density Balance 🥄The plain yogurt in your batter adds richness and tang while the cornstarch controls moisture—use room-temperature yogurt and mix gently to avoid overdeveloping gluten, keeping your layers tender despite their denser crumb structure.
- Mascarpone Mascarpone Stability 🧈Bring mascarpone to room temperature and fold it into your buttercream last—adding it too early or when too cold causes lumps, while adding it too late can break the emulsion and deflate your cream.
- Cake Cooling Strategy ❄️Allow caramel-filled cake layers to cool completely at room temperature for 2-3 hours before frosting—this prevents the warm caramel from loosening the buttercream structure and ensures clean, stable layers when stacking.
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About the Cook
Hi! I'm Sloane, welcome to Sloane’s Table! I am a Dartmouth College alumna, professional baker, recipe developer, and food photographer. Here, you will find tried & true bakery-worthy recipes ranging from simple sweets to technical pastries. Whether you are looking to challenge yourself and improve your baking skills or just want an easy, trust-worthy recipe, you're in the right place.
Recipe Facts
My Calorie Intake
Smart Nutrition 
Nutrition Per Serving
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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