Description
Indulge in the rich, buttery layers of this Caramel Crunch Cake, featuring moist yellow cake infused with caramel sauce and topped with fluffy whipped cream, crunchy toffee bits, and crushed caramel popcorn. Perfect for special occasions or whenever you crave a decadent dessert with a delightful mix of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting and Topping
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce (plus more for drizzling)
- 1 cup toffee bits
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup crushed caramel popcorn or crushed toffee candy for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans to ensure the cakes do not stick.
- Mix the cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and well combined. Stir in 1/4 cup caramel sauce and the salt to blend the caramel flavor throughout the batter.
- Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This ensures the cakes are perfectly cooked and moist.
- Cool the cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes to set, then remove from the pans and transfer to wire racks. Let them cool completely before assembling the cake to prevent melting the whipped cream.
- Whip the cream: While the cakes cool, whip the heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, creating a light and fluffy frosting.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of whipped cream over it. Sprinkle half of the toffee bits evenly on top and drizzle with some caramel sauce for extra sweetness.
- Top and finish: Place the second cake layer on top and repeat spreading the remaining whipped cream, sprinkling the rest of the toffee bits, and drizzling caramel sauce. Finish by sprinkling the crushed caramel popcorn or crushed toffee candy over the entire top for a delightful crunchy texture.
- Chill before serving: Chill the assembled cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the frosting to set perfectly before slicing and serving.
Notes
- You can substitute store-bought whipped topping for homemade whipped cream to save preparation time.
- Using salted caramel sauce instead of regular caramel sauce will add a deeper, more complex flavor to the cake.
- This cake can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator to enhance the flavors and make serving easier.
