by carrie
Conquering Intimidating Dishes, Food + Entertaining
SaltedCaramelBundt
buntdsc
The combination of salt and caramel is incredibly tasty.
I think using a bundt cake mold makes this recipe manageable especially with a caramel glaze. I’ve tried this as a layer cake and prefer it as a bundt.
I also like to serve this cake warm. I reserve some of the caramel to warm up and drip over the cake before serving.
Making the caramel was a bit intimidating for me but it was relatively easy! The trick here is to not burn the sugar. The rest is super easy and takes NO time at all.
NOTE: I didn’t use a candy thermometer I just watched the color and reactions that are mentioned below when making it.
Salted Caramel Bundt Cake
Cake Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Crème fraîche
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs, room temperature
Preparation for Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and lightly flour inside a bundt pan.
3. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
4. Using a mixer beat the butter until creamy.
5. Add the sugar and continue to mix until it becomes light and pale.
6. Next add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract and Crème fraîche 1/4 cup at a time until it is all mixed in.
7. Next add your flour mixture in small amounts allowing each bit to mix in completely before you add more.
8. After all the ingredients are mixed in spoon the batter with a spatula into the bundt mold smoothing it out on top.
9. Bake for 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Once the cake is done let it cool for about 12 minutes before you invert it onto another rack letting it cool completely for about an hour.
Caramel Glaze
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick of butter
Sea salt (I used fleur de sel)
Preparation for Carmel Glaze
NOTE: I Updated this recipe with 2 variations of the Carmel Glaze that both worked for me and turned out a nice caramel. I want to share both with you.
If you are prone to seeing sugar rocks start to form then try adding the butter and the sugar at the same time while whisking as they dissolve and blend together. See Version A below.
Version A:
1. Add the butter and sugar together and melt them at the same time while whisking (Medium Heat) .
2. As the butter and sugar start to dissolve add the cream and continue to whisk (Medium to High Heat)
3. Once it starts to froth and bubble take it off the heat while still whisking. Continue in Version B below with step 5.
Version B:
1. In a sauce pan add the sugar and whisk over a medium heat allowing the sugar to melt.
2. Once it starts to turn an amber color add the butter and whisk at a fast pace.
3. When all of the butter is completed melted and mixed with the sugar you can remove it from the heat.
4. Next add the cream while you continue to whisk until the mixture is in a cream caramel glaze form.
5. Pour this glaze into a glass container or a bowl and set aside.
6. Once the cake has cooled you can pour the caramel over the top covering it in a decorative fashion.
7. Sprinkle the top with sea salt and serve!
Simply Tia
This bundt cake is beautiful. Salted caramel? I’m drooling. YUM!
Joanne
I flock to salted caramel like a moth to a bright light. Love this.
Elo
This looks delish!! I really want to make this, but Im not sure what “1 cup Crème fraîche” is.
Lauren
It is Fresh Cream, or whipping cream
carrie
@Lauren It’s heavy whipping cream that you find by the creamers at the grocery store.
carrie
@Simply Tia – Yep Salted Caramel and it is quite tasty!
carrie
@Elo Crème fraîche is similar to Sour Cream.
If you can’t find Crème fraîche then 1 cup of Sour Cream will do the trick.
cakebrain
gee, that looks so good! I love how the glaze glistens.
Julia
I agree, some cakes are just MEANT to be made in a bundt pan. They look pretty and taste better. I love the idea of serving this with warm caramel on top, and a sprinkle of salt, mmmm!
carrie
@cakebrain Thanks!
@Julia I love this cake warm and the sprinkle of salt sets it off perfectly!
Rachel
The bundt cake is currently baking in the oven. The batter seemed good and I’m excited to try it. I just had to come on here to say this though! The caramel sauce/topping does not work at all.
Despite my better judgement, I chose to simply follow the recipe having made caramel and caramel toppings previously. Always it is water, cornsyrup or something else that you add with the sugar in the first place. I followed the recipe instead and simply put the sugar on medium heat.
And bam!- little teeny sugar rocks formed. Which is what will happen if you don’t add another type of glucose to the mixture. I’m not sure how the caramel topping ended up entirely smooth for you. I’m glad it did but a word to the wise for those making this-I’d suggest looking up a caramel glaze elsewhere. The one written is more dangerous than it needs to be and results in little sugar rocks instead of a smooth glaze.
Other than that, the cake looks delicious in the oven and I will report back on that soon.
carrie
@Rachel I’ve made this several times with different variations of it. There were 2 ways that worked for me.
Here’s the other one:
Add the butter and sugar together and melt them at the same time while whisking .
As the butter and sugar start to dissolve add the cream and continue to whisk.
When it starts to froth and bubble take it off the heat while still whisking. This also turned out a smooth caramel “milky” glaze.
Messy Missy
OMG my house smells AMAZING!
Kids loved licking the beater and spatula! That was the first sign… the smell was the 2nd. The ease of the carmel, the 3rd!!
Making this for a friends birthday, so will let you know tomorrow how amazing you are!! But I’m pretty sure it’s up there!! WOO HOO!
les
This recipe sounds delightful, and seems very
easy until I came to the butter measurements.
A lot of people that are on pinterest are not
American. A “stick”? Grams, ozs, cups this I know.
I always check the recipe before I repin it or
copy it out as so often the American recipes have
boxes, packets or other ingredients that I cannot
get, thats why I got quite excited to see that it was
a straight forward recipe. Then came a stick…….
carrie
@les sorry about that! Hope this helps:
1 stick of butter is 1/2 cup
2 sticks of butter is 1 cup
1 stick of butter = 113.5 grams
2 sticks of butter = 227 grams
Melissa
Hi! Where can I purchase fleur de sel?
carrie
@Melissa I’ve purchased it at the grocery store in the baking area where you find the spices and flavorings.
Melissa
Is there a special brand you recommend? Thanks so much!
carrie
@Melissa, I’ve used whatever I can find BUT if I see Fleur De Sel De Guerande or Fleur De Sel de Camargue – I would buy them in that order!
rena
I made this cake last night. I have to tell you, this is hands down, the best cake I have ever tasted. In fact, the cake was so good I was hesitant to add the caramel to it – why ruin a great thing.
The sauce is incredibly addictive (I put some in my coffee this morning).
I am unable to get creme fraiche near me so I substituted half greek yogurt and half sour cream.
WOW!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!!
carrie
@Rena, so happy that you tried the recipe. The substitute with yogurt and sour cream is super smart. I know the caramel is super addictive. I love that you put it coffee! I am going to have to try that next time too
Christina
Hi, how far in advance can this cake be made WITH the glaze! Is 24 hours too far in advance?
carrie
@Christina I’ve always made it the morning of but I believe you can make it the day before. The sauce can be stored in a jar and re-heated as needed.
Allison
I used version B for the caramel with a variation- whisk the sugar until all the crystals dissolve and it turns amber in color. REMOVE FROM HEAT and immediately drop the butter (sliced into one tablespoon chunks) into the dissolved sugar while whisking constantly. Then add the cream (warmed for 30 seconds in the microwave so that it’s not cold) right after the butter melts and whisk until it is all creamy and wonderful. Worked perfectly!
carrie
@Allison, perfect glad one of them worked out for you!
Sarah
This is absolutely delicious! I followed your directions and everything came out perfectly, including the caramel sauce. Except, I used an angel food cake pan (didn’t have a bundt pan) and had no issues. The same cooking time worked, too. I’ve already had a few people ask for the recipe, I gave them a link to your site.
Barbara Geary
How many days in advance can I make this cake? I was planning on eating it on xmas eve? Thx!
carrie
@Barbara Geary you could make the cake 1 or 2 days in advance.
Christina
I’m excited about trying this. I’m wondering if it would work out ok to put baked apples in the middle of the bunt cake (once it’s finished baking…)? Has anyone tried this & do you think it would work out ok? (Beginner baker here!)
carrie
@Christina I think you could put baked apples in the middle of the cake and then drizzle the salted caramel over the apples as well. Let me know how it goes!
Barbara Geary
Can I put the glaze on in advanced too?
carrie
@Barbara I would wait to put the glaze on until you are ready to serve. Also I used unsalted butter for the glaze!
Barbara Geary
unsalted butter or salted butter for the glaze? Cake is in the oven:-)))))
carrie
@Barbara I used unsalted butter for the glaze!
Barbara Geary
Thank goodness I just checked back I was about to use salted:-(
Thank you!!!
Kayla
I absolutley love this recipe! This was the first time i attempted making caramel. I tried version B and it turned out wonderful! The only thing is my cake tasted a little like flour but wasnt to bad when the carmel was on top. If you have any suggestions or ways to maybe change it it would greatly appreciate it. Other than that i love this recipe and am happy i found it.
PS: I made homemade whipped cream and also served it on the side of the cake, and it was wonderful