Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing – a tender buttermilk cake is topped with a perfectly sweet caramel icing for a showstopper of a cake.

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Love this cake? You’ll also love this Apple Bundt Cake with Caramel Frosting.

It’s amazing how time changes things. I originally made this Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing back on December 4, 2009. It was a favorite of mine, and I actually made it a few times.

Then a few months ago, I decided to make this cake again for a family dinner, only to have it completely fall and collapse on me. I wrote it off as a mistake on my part, but then I decided to try again. Second time had the same results as the first. So the testing started. I knew I had to get this cake so that everyone can make it without having a cake fall on them!

I can’t even remember how many times I ended up making this cake, but I finally figured out the ingredients to ensure that I would have success. And to ensure that you’ll have success when you make it, too!

How to make this Buttermilk Pound Cake

• To make this buttermilk pound cake, you’ll start by creaming together the butter and the sugar. You want the mixture to be light and fluffy.
• Then you’ll start to add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
• To mix the batter, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the creamed sugar and butter. Beat just until combined, then mix in half of the buttermilk. Repeat – adding 1/2 of the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining buttermilk then the remaining flour mixture. You want to only mix until the ingredients are combined.
• Pour it into a prepared bundt pan and bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean!

How to make Caramel Icing

I absolutely adore this icing, but it is very sweet. It does compliment this cake very well, though.

• You start by melting the butter, brown sugar and cream in a saucepan until the butter is melted.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove the pan from the heat once it has hit a rolling boil.
• Whisk in the powdered sugar. You can also sift your powdered sugar ahead of time to prevent lumps in your icing.
• Let the icing sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the icing to harden up a bit before pouring it over the cooled cake.

How to Keep a Bundt Cake From Sticking to the Pan

If you’ve ever made a bundt cake, you know that feeling right as you turn over the pan, hoping and praying that the cake comes out in one piece. And I’m sure we all know the feeling when half of the cake is still stuck to the pan. Although not 100% fool proof, here are my tips for getting that cake out of the bundt pan in one piece.

• Ditch the nonstick cooking spray. I like to use butter, or more often, I’ll use shortening. You’ll want to make sure every little crevice is coated with the butter or shortening. Some people use a brush, but I find it’s easier to use a paper towel.
• Once the pan is coated in butter or shortening, sprinkle flour in the pan. Then start moving that pan around, tapping the sides (I usually do this over the sink for less of a mess.) You want the flour to evenly coat the greased pan, but not to accumulate. This is also a good way to see if you missed greasing any spots so you can get back in there and make sure it’s coated.
• Do not skip the greasing or flouring – even if you have a nonstick bundt pan.
• Make sure the cake has had enough time to cool a bit before trying to remove from the pan. When the cake starts cooling, it will start to pull away from the sides just slightly. I usually give the cake at least 10-15 minutes before I turn it over to remove it from the pan. But while you don’t want to remove it from the pan too early, you also don’t want to wait too long. The cake should still be slightly warm – not hot, and not room temperature.
• If you continue to have problems time and time again, consider replacing your bundt pan. It could be the pan, not you!!

Can I Use Regular Milk Instead of Buttermilk?

The texture of this buttermilk pound cake comes from using buttermilk, so it is an integral part of the recipe. If you were to substitute regular milk for the buttermilk, it would lose the acidity from the buttermilk, and you’d most likely end up with a dense, flat cake. The buttermilk also tenderizes the cake, giving it a soft texture.

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough milk to make 1 cup. Let the mixture sit 5-10 minutes, then use as indicated in the recipe.

Tips for Storing This Buttermilk Pound Cake

One thing I love the most about this buttermilk cake is that it gets better with age. So I actually like it better on day 2 than I do on the day it is made. This cake should be good for 3 to 4 days after it is made. I store it at room temperature, but keep it covered. I’ll often just use a large overturned plastic bowl to cover the cake. If you have sliced into the cake, it’s always best to place a piece of plastic wrap over the cut part of the cake to prevent it from drying out.

More Crowd Pleasing Bundt Cake Recipes

• Chocolate Bundt Cake
• Orange Cake
• Coconut Bundt Cake
• Almond Joy Candy Bar Filled Chocolate Bundt Cake

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Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing

5 from 5 votes

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 serving

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing – a tender buttermilk cake is topped with a perfectly sweet caramel icing for a showstopper of a cake.

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Ingredients

Cake:

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 eggs
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk

Caramel Icing:

• ▢ 1/4 cup unsalted butter cubed
• ▢ 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar sifted

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
• Generously grease the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with butter or shortening and dust it with flour. Tap out any excess flour.
• Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
• In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together.
• Mix 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture. Add half of the buttermilk and mix to combine, followed by another 1/3 of the flour mixture. Finish by beating in the remaining buttermilk, and finally the last of the flour. Use a spatula to make sure the mixture is completely mixed in. The batter will be thick.
• Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.  Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
• Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Once the cake is cool, place it on a serving plate.
• Place the butter, brown sugar and cream in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar.  Let the icing sit for 10-15 minutes, whisk one more time, then pour the icing over the cake. Let the icing set before serving.

Recipe Notes:

Adapted from Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2008

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 415kcal (21%), Carbohydrates: 59g (20%), Protein: 5g (10%), Fat: 18g (28%), Saturated Fat: 11g (69%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 93mg (31%), Sodium: 64mg (3%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 42g (47%)

Keywords: buttermilk cake, buttermilk pound cake, caramel icing