This butterscotch cake is made with moist and tender brown sugar cake layers, homemade butterscotch sauce, and topped and filled with butterscotch buttercream.
This cake is topped with more butterscotch sauce and is smoothed out with a spatula creating a marble design. There are so many ways to decorate this cake, read on for the instructions and tips!
This cake is so moist and rich in flavor. It is made with simple ingredients and is perfect for butterscotch lovers!
If you like making layer cake as much as we do, check out our black forest cake, best ever chocolate cake, super moist carrot cake, lotus biscoff cake, and our Nutella cake!
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Why this recipe works
- Butterscotch flavor- this cake has a lot of butterscotch flavor. It is made with butterscotch both in the frosting and between the cake layers!
- Homemade butterscotch sauce- this cake is topped and filled with a simple homemade butterscotch sauce.
- Texture- this delicious cake has an extra moist crumb and fluffy texture that melts in your mouth.
- Simple- it is made with simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store.
- Brown sugar cake layers- this cake is made with moist and delicious brown sugar cake layers.
How to make even cake layers
Our biggest tip to make even cake layers is to use a scale and cake strips. Weigh the cake batter and divide it into two even pans. Then use cake strips to make sure your cake layers bake evenly and don’t develop a dome on top.
Cake strips give you an evenly baked cake with a flat top.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the cake
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of this dessert.
Brown sugar- I used dark brown sugar to give this cake as much flavor and depth.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor.
Eggs- you will need 4 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Vegetable oil – we used vegetable oil for this recipe. canola oil will work great for this recipe.
Vinegar- is the secret ingredient that makes this cake extra moist and tender. You will need two teaspoons of vinegar for this recipe.
Sour cream- use either sour cream or Greek yogurt. Both will work great.
Kosher salt- you will need about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe. cake flour will work great as well.
Baking powder and baking soda – to allow the cake to rise. Ensure that you are using fresh levelers and not expired.
Buttermilk– gives the cake extra moisture. You can make your own buttermilk if you don’t have one on hand. Simply mix a cup of milk with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
For the butterscotch sauce
Butter- we used unsalted butter for this sauce, but you can use salted butter as well. If you are using salted butter, skip the salt in this recipe.
Vanilla extract- use your favorite brand of vanilla extract.
Brown sugar- use dark brown sugar for this.
Kosher salt- I love using kosher salt in baking, but you can use your favorite salt for this.
Heavy cream- ensure that your heavy cream is at room temperature.
For the butterscotch buttercream
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. If you are using salted butter, skip the salt.
Powder sugar- you will need powdered sugar for this recipe. you don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor.
Kosher salt- we like to use kosher salt.
Milk- use whole milk.
Instructions
Into a saucepan, add all the butter, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and heavy cream, and melt them over medium-high mixing constantly until the sugar and butter melts.
Bring it to a simmer, and simmer for about 3 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set it aside to cool.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and kosher salt. Mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined.
Add the eggs, and mix until well combined and the mixture is smooth.
Add the sour cream, oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Mix well until combined.
Add the ½ of flour, and add the baking powder, and baking soda, add ½ of the buttermilk, and mix until almost combined.
Add the rest of the flour and buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix this.
Divide the batter into 3 8-inch baking pans and bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven) or until a toothpick is inserted into the cake and comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool to room temperature and remove them from the pans.
Make the buttercream
Into a big mixing bowl, add the room-temperature butter, salt, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cooled butterscotch, and milk. Mix with an electric hand mixer for a few minutes until the buttercream is light in color and creamy.
Assembly
Pipe a small dollop of the buttercream on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the frosting dot.
Top the first cake layer with â…“ of the buttercream and spread an even layer of the buttercream with a spatula.
Drizzle about 2 tablespoon of the butterscotch sauce and spread it with a spoon.
Top the cake with the second cake layer. Repeat adding the buttercream and butterscotch sauce and top with the third cake layer.
Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream and pour the rest of the butterscotch sauce over the cake. Smooth it out with a spatula, creating a marble effect.
This cake is best served at room temperature for the best texture.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers. Click here for the amazon link.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your loaf cake will release easily from the pan.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making these cookies, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the mixture.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Faq's
We use all-purpose flour for this cake, self-rising flour, and cake flour will work great as well.
This cake is made with butter, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vinegar which makes this cake extra moist and fluffy. I couldn't believe how moist and tender this cake is.
This cake will last up to 3 days stored in the fridge. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. This cake tastes amazing for 3 days.
This butterscotch cake is made with moist brown sugar cake layers that are filled and frosted with butterscotch buttercream frosting and is covered and filled with homemade butterscotch sauce.
Storing
This cake will last up to 3 in the fridge. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. This cake tastes amazing the day after.
Freezing
Freeze this cake after it cooled completely in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months, some people find the cake tastes better after freezing it.
our tip is not to freeze it decorated or covered with frosting, because it can ruin the decorating of the cake, we suggest freezing the cake and decorating it when you defrost it.
If you’re not looking to impress anyone with your decorating skills, it’s absolutely okay to freeze the cake with the frosting on.
Make it ahead
You can make this cake ahead by freezing the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap each cake layer with a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to frost and assemble the cake, make the frosting, butterscotch, and assemble the cake!
Substitutions
There are a few substitutions that may be helpful for your diet:
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Dairy-free - you can make this cake dairy-free by replacing the butter with vegan butter and replacing the buttermilk with vegan buttermilk. Also, use a vegan butterscotch sauce.
Variations
Frosting- Use your favorite frosting for this cake like chocolate frosting, caramel frosting, vanilla frosting, etc.
More cake recipes
Ferrero rocher cake- This Ferrero rocher cake is made with three chocolate hazelnut cake layers, topped and frosted with hazelnut buttercream, and topped with chocolate ganache, and Ferrero rocher candy.
Oreo cake with oreo frosting- This cake is made with moist and fluffy oreo cake layers, filled and covered with oreo frosting, and topped with chocolate ganache, whipped cream, and Oreos!
Banana coffee cake- This banana coffee cake is made with soft cinnamon banana cake, filled with a cinnamon swirl filling, cinnamon crumble topping and a delicious glaze.
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Best Butterscotch Cake
Ingredients
- 150 g Butter
- 1 ½ cups Dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 Eggs
- 2 teaspoon Vinegar
- â…“ cup Sour cream
- ¼ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 cup Buttermilk
Butterscotch sauce
- 115 g Butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup Heavy cream
- 1 â…“ cup Dark brown sugar
Butterscotch buttercream
- 350 g Butter soften
- 4 ½ cups Powder sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoon Milk
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ cup Butterscotch sauce
Instructions
Make the butterscotch sauce
- Into a saucepan, add all the butter, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and heavy cream, and melt them over medium-high mixing constantly until the sugar and butter melts.
- Bring it to a simmer, and simmer for about 3 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set it aside to cool.
Make the cake
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and kosher salt. Mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined.
- Add the eggs, and mix until well combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Add the sour cream, oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Mix well until combined.
- Add the ½ of flour, and add the baking powder and baking soda, add ½ of the buttermilk and mix until almost combined.
- Add the rest of the flour and buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix this.
- Divide the batter into 3 8-inch baking pans and bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven) or until a toothpick is inserted into the cake and comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool to room temperature and remove them from the pans.
Make the buttercream
- Into a big mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter, salt, powder sugar, vanilla extract, cooled butterscotch, and milk. Mix with an electric hand mixer for a few minutes until the buttercream is light in color and creamy.
Assembly
- Pipe a small dollop of the buttercream on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the frosting dot.
- Top the first cake layer with â…“ of the buttercream and spread an even layer of the buttercream with a spatula.
- Drizzle about 2 tablespoon of the butterscotch sauce and spread it with a spoon.
- Top the cake with the second cake layer. Repeat adding the buttercream and butterscotch sauce and top with the third cake layer.
- Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream and pour the rest of the butterscotch sauce over the cake. Smooth it out with a spatula, creating a marble effect.
- This cake is best served at room temperature for the best texture.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers. Click here for the amazon link.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your loaf cake will release easily from the pan.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making these cookies, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the batter.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be more firm and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Katie
Just made this today, amazing! How long would you say it would keep in the fridge?
Susie
Hi. I'm making this now and recipe says 1 baking soda. 1 what? Teaspoon I am thinking. Thought you might want to correct that typo.
RichandDelish
Hi, thank you for pointing that out. It is 1 tsp, and I fixed the typo. Let me know how it turned out 🙂
Susie
It turned out great! I was worried that it would be too sweet with the buttercream frosting and the butterscotch sauce but the cake held its own and each component complimented each other. Highly recommend recommend this recipe.
Thanks for sharing!