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Vintage-inspired Swirled Caramel Sheet Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting. We’re taking a page from our grandma’s cookbooks and I’m adding a few of my own twists. Let’s kick the weekend off right with this absolutely delicious caramel-like butter sheet cake. Buttery vanilla cake swirled with the most delectable, roll your eyes back good, brown sugar and maple “caramel”. Top the cake off with a generous layer of rich, fudgy, chocolate frosting. Sooo much to love here, and simple to make too! Sweet, gooey, with notes of vanilla and caramel, and of course, plenty of chocolate!
In the past year or so I’ve rediscovered sheet cakes and become obsessed with them. I used to strictly make layer cakes. And while I still love a good layer cake, right now I’m embracing the simplicity of the classic sheet cake.
To me, sheet cakes feel very “old school” or vintage, which is something I love. I swear, our grandmas really did know best. Back then simple really meant SIMPLE.
No one thought twice about using a boxed cake mix, and frozen dinners were where it was at. I’m obviously not about frozen dinners, but I can definitely get behind an easy sheet cake recipe.
My Nonnie loved baking sheet cakes, so I’m channeling her today! No box mix though, this is all homemade.
And maybe just a little better than our grandmas used to make.
Here are the details, start with the cake
Start with the vanilla butter cake. This is pretty easy and straightforward, beat the wet ingredients together, add the dry, and then beat in some milk.
I always go heavy on the vanilla with my cakes. This is a vanilla cake after all, so the more vanilla the better, don’t skimp.
The “caramel” swirl
This isn’t really caramel, but I swear it’s better, and so much easier to make. Butter and brown sugar boiled together until thickened slightly. Then lots of vanilla and a little sea salt added in at the end.
The brown sugar melts down adding hints of warm molasses. It really deepens the flavor to create a very gooey sauce that’s perfectly rich and caramel-like. And when you add that splash of vanilla and a sprinkle of sea salt? Well, it really is delectable.
When the batter is made and the caramel is ready, layer the batter with the caramel, then use a butter knife to gently swirl the caramel throughout the cake. This doesn’t need to be perfect.
As the cake bakes up, the caramel melts down to the bottom and caramelizes around the edges. It creates a cake that’s almost gooey throughout with caramelized edges.
It’s different, but in a great way.
The frosting
While the cake is cooling, you can start making the chocolate fudge frosting. It’s just simply three ingredients. Melted chocolate chips, sour cream, and I also added in some espresso powder, which really highlights the chocolate.
For having just three ingredients, this is one of the most magical frostings. Very creamy, rich, and fudgy. And I love that it’s not too sweet – but just sweet enough.
Frost the cooled cake, then top with chocolate curls.
There are three “steps” here, but they’re all very easy, and so very good. Each bite is filled with sweet vanilla butter cake, gooey caramel, and fudgy chocolate frosting. It’s a cake that just about all will love…there’s a little something for everyone!
Looking for other simple sheet cakes? Here are some favorites:
Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake
Swirled Blackberry Lavender Sheet Cake
Easiest Coconut Banana Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Lastly, if you make this Swirled Caramel Sheet Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Swirled Caramel Sheet Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 424 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stream in the milk, beating until just combined. 3. To make the caramel. Melt together the butter, brown sugar, and maple in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 4-5 minutes, until thickened slightly. Stir in the vanilla and salt. 4. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Drizzle half the caramel over the batter, then pour over the remaining batter (it will not cover the caramel fully). Then drizzle over the remaining caramel. Use a knife to lightly swirl the caramel around, don’t over mix. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center is just set. Let cool completely. 5. To make the chocolate frosting. Microwave the chocolate chips and a pinch of salt, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Stir in the sour cream and espresso, a dollop at a time, until the mixture is smooth. Swirl the frosting onto the top of the cake. If desired top with chocolate. Slice, eat, and enjoy!!
Storing: this cake keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
