Homemade Butterscotch Cake Recipe: Create a Delicious Cake from Scratch

Butterscotch cake has rightfully earned its place as a classic because of its nostalgic flavor profile. The cake is usually made with brown sugar, butter, and cream, all of which give the cake a very indulgent and decadent taste. Sometimes butterscotch sauce is included in the cake batter and frosting and sometimes the cake is topped with butterscotch chips and butterscotch sauce. The combination of brown sugar and butter create a caramel-like taste that is so smooth, and a medley of sweet and salty notes.

While you can instantly get a butterscotch cake from your neighborhood bakery, baking it from scratch at home is a completely different ball game when it comes to taste and quality. You have the power to choose the quality of ingredients, make alterations according to your preferences, and even make some additions and omissions like incorporating nuts or even chocolate chips. Then there’s the question of freshness – most bakeries habe fresh cakes but the one you make at home will be the freshest ever. There’s also the satisfaction of creating something new and different at home, which is why we encourage everyone to give this recipe a shot.

Recipe for Butterscotch Cake

Ingredients:

For the brown butter:

• 113 g salted butter

For the cake:

• 270 g flour
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 93 g brown butter
• 300 g packed light brown sugar
• 80 ml vegetable oil
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 170 g sour cream
• 180 ml milk at room temperature

For the butterscotch frosting:

• 620 g butterscotch chips
• 350 ml whipping cream
• 113 g salted butter at room temperature
• Sea salt flakes for garnish

Instructions:

• First begin with the brown butter by melting 113 grams of butter in a saucepan. Stir occasionally but allow it to bubble and foam so the solids separate from the liquid.
• Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the butter to come down to room temperature.
• Then place the saucepan in the refrigerator but don’t forget to keep stirring it occasionally.
• Preheat the oven to 180 C and grease three 6-inch round cake tins. Set them aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt.
• Take out the brown butter from the fridge and let it reach room temperature before beating it with brown sugar and oil. Preferably use a stand mixer or an electric whisk for this purpose.
• Then add one egg at a time and keep whisking until well-combined.
• Once the eggs are fully incorporated into the oil and butter mixture, add the sour cream and vanilla extract.
• Then slowly add half of the dry ingredients into the wet ones, and give a good mix. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix again.
• The batter might seem thick, which is why now is the time to add the milk to it.
• Pour the batter evenly into the greased cake tins and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. If you have a large oven then you can place all the cake tins in it. If you have a small oven, then bake one cake at a time.
• When the cakes are cooked through, let them cool in the tin completely.
• As the cakes cool, you can start working on the butterscotch frosting that will go between each layer and on the top.
• For this, add the butterscotch chips to a large bowl and in a saucepan, gently heat the whipping cream.
• Bring it to a simmer, then pour it over the butterscotch chips. The heat should melt the chips instantly, so mix well to get a sauce.
• Cover this bowl and allow it to cool down. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove about ¾ cup of this butterscotch ganache from the total amount and set it aside.
• Then using a stand mixer or an electric whisk, beat air into the ganache for about 3 to 5 minutes.
• By this time the cakes should have cooled down.
• Place the bottom layer on a cake stand, and liberally spread the butterscotch frosting over it. Cover with the second cake.
• Spread butterscotch frosting over it too and cover with the third cake.
• You can crumb coat the cake with this frosting too and then set it in the fridge to cool.
• When you’re done with this step, use the remaining butterscotch ganache to cover the entirety of the cake.
• Pour the unwhipped butterscotch ganache that you had set aside previously over the finished cake. You can even garnish it with butterscotch chips.