Caramel Macchiato Butter Cake
This layered cake is made up of delicious yellow cake and topped with a caramel coffee buttercream. It's easy to assemble and the perfect combination of flavors!
Servings: 12 slices
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk room temperature
For the frosting:
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- 4 tsp instant coffee can add 1-2 tsp more if you prefer a stronger coffee flavor
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
Optional garnish:
- 2 tsp instant coffee
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and grease and flour 2 8 inch cake pans and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. While the mixer is on low, add in the eggs one at a time, then the vegetable oil and vanilla and mix until combined.
- With the mixer on a low speed, add in the flour, baking powder, salt and buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Evenly distribute the batter between the two cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until you stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cookie rack and cooling completely.
For the frosting:
- Warm the milk in the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir in the instant coffee and set aside. In a medium pot melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring continually. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes then remove from heat. Stir in the milk and return to the stove to boil for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and vanilla extract. Let this mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl sift the powdered sugar. Poor the mixture from the stove over top. Beat with a hand held mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) until smooth. If you would like to thin the frosting out, add 1 additional tablespoon of room temperature milk until it reaches desired consistency.
For assembly:
- Use a sharp serrated knife to trim the domes off the top of the cake and level them out. Place one layer down and add about ¾ cup of frosting on top. Evenly spread the frosting out and then top with the second layer. Set aside about 1 cup of frosting for decorating, and spread remaining evenly onto the top and sides of the cake. Scoop the remaining frosting into a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice (I used a wilton 1A round tip) and pipe design as desired. If you'd like sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of instant coffee around the edge of the piped icing. Slice and serve!