the caramel macchiato cake
…With espresso Kahlua buttercream.
The Caramel Macchiato is my long-standing Starbucks favorite, and even at other shops modeled after the menu of the chain I tend to indulge in one if offered and if I’m feeling particularly sassy. I don’t often venture beyond a cortado or cappuccino nowadays (usually with oat or soy milk, if you’re wondering) but if I actually succumbed to my sweet tooth, the macch is where it’s at.
My instinct nowadays is to take flavors I like and think “well, why not cakeify it?” Make it a word, Oxford. The Caramel Macchiato Cake is tender, sweet, overflowing with a simple homemade caramel sauce, and slathered in a coffee-forward buttercream tinged with Kahlua. I honestly licked far too much of the buttercream out of the bowl as I decorated. And the caramel. Hell, and the cake batter. Oops.
The Caramel
I recommend starting with the caramel, since caramel can take time to cool. Trust me, dudes – homemade caramel is waaaaaaay better than storebought. Melt down sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Watch it like you would a toddler else it’ll blacken before you can say shiiiiiiiiit and you’ll have to try again. Pull the pan off the heat and stir in some butter until it melts. By now you can breathe easy since the sugar won’t darken anymore once the fat is added. Place the pan back on the burner and whisk in some heavy cream, vanilla, and a touch of salt. Cook until a bit thicker, then transfer to a heat-safe jar or bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Hot caramel will melt your buttercream later. Don’t want that.
The Cake
The base is a vanilla cake, as with the beverage which contains syrup at the bottom of the cup. Much the same as in my Almond Blackberry Cake excepting the almond flavor. I wanted a pure, buttery vanilla cake. No frills, just a beautiful crumb.
For the cake, cream some butter and sugar. Add in three eggs, one at a time, and some vanilla extract. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Alternate buttermilk and the flour blend into the sugar bowl, beating each addition until just combined.
Pour into a trio of prepared 6 inch cake pans and bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. After 5-10 minutes, carefully remove from the pans and turn onto a wire rack.
The Buttercream
Ah, my favorite part. The buttercream isn’t much different at its core to any of my cakes prior, excepting the addition of Kahlua and instant espresso. I love a touch of heavy cream, too, in my frostings for a slightly whipped texture regular milk wouldn’t lend.
Honestly, this frosting is stupid. If you’re drowning in feels or hormones one night and need a very unwise but aggressive sweet fix, just make a bowl of this and go to town. Not that I am an advocate of eating your weight in sugar to cope with negative emotions, but we all do it, and sometimes no other solution exists. Particularly if you’re not much of a runner.
Cake decoration is fully up to you. I made a bit of a tactical error because I’m a derp, and would not recommend you pipe cute little frosting swirls directly atop a big gooey layer of caramel. What I would do is make the drips, pipe a perimeter of swirls, and fill in the space between the swirls with caramel. I may have needed to call a rescue mission to replace the dollops atop the mobile caramel sea. Oh well.
I really never claimed to be a decorating expert. I’m learning, though. And the cake still tasted heavenly.
I really have no choice but to laugh hysterically at my decorating flaws. I don’t know how I neglected the law of gravity in my aesthetic considerations.
Thank God no ones asked me to cater a wedding.
I truly have come to love baking layer cakes. They’re a challenge evoking many an emotion while creating, and are in and of themselves an outlet of creative expression. I’ve never encountered two of the same decorating styles. I follow many a baker on Instagram for inspiration and am always in awe of the perfectly smooth buttercream and flawless dabs and curls and beautiful accessories spread across the top or the sides. One day, perhaps, I’ll reach a level of amateur professionalism. Right now, I’m more so concerned with nailing texture and taste. The pretties will come later.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
A few more of my favorite cakes…
Bursting Blueberry Lime Cupcakes
Triple Layer Chocolate Explosion Cake with Whipped Chocolate Buttercream
Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl Bars
Ingredients
vanilla cake
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
kahlua espresso buttercream
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp instant espresso
- 2-3 tbsp Kahlua (optional)
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream
caramel sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
Instructions
- For the caramel sauce: in a small saucepan, dissolve sugar over medium heat until golden and completely melted. Watch very closely. As soon as it reaches that toasty brown hue, remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted. The liquid will foam and bubble angrily. That's good! When the butter completely melts, place back on medium heat. Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt for 2-3 minutes until thickened and well combined. Transfer to a heat-safe jar or bowl and set on the counter to cool, or place in the fridge while you make the rest of the cake.
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease three 6 inch or two 9 inch cake pans well with butter or oil.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until whipped and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Whisk in vanilla.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In three turns, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the sugar and butter bowl. Whip each addition until just combined. Do not overmix else you risk a stiff, tough cake.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake 30-35 minutes until the center is just set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few tender crumbs. Remove from the oven and let layers cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake pans and turn layers onto a wire baking rack to cool completely.
- When the cakes are cooled, prepare the buttercream. Whip together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, instant espresso, Kahlua (if using), and a tablespoon of heavy cream. Add in heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, if needed, until a fluffy and creamy texture is achieved.
- If needed, level the tops of the cake layers with a sharp knife. Set one layer on a plate or cake stand and spread 1/2 cup of the frosting from edge to edge. Place a second layer and repeat. Finish with the third layer. Frost a thin coat of buttercream all over the cake. Set in the fridge for 10 minutes. This is your "crumb layer," which will render the rest of your decorating much more smooth.
- Frost the remainder of the cake with the buttercream. Add a ring of caramel along the perimeter of the top layer and let it drip down the sides of the cake, then drizzle caramel over the top. You may have some sauce leftover for later use.
