With a tight but tender crumb and incredibly moist texture, this caramel mud cake is crave worthy stuff.
From the moment I created my chocolate mud cake, I knew I had to make a caramel version. Topped with a caramel icing and shavings of caramelised white chocolate, I love this even more than it’s chocolate sibling.
This cake is so soft yet so rich and perfect for everything from a single layer afternoon tea cake to a decadent layered birthday cake.
What you’ll need
You’ll find all the usual baking suspects here – butter, eggs, flour, baking powder – you know the drill, but there are a few particular ingredients I want to point out.
- Dark brown sugar: This is where the bulk of the caramel flavour comes from.
- Golden syrup: This also adds a caramel edge and a little moisture but you can swap it for maple syrup or rice malt syrup too.
- Milk: This recipe works best with whole (full cream) milk but will work with other types too.
- Salt: The salt in the cake is just enough to balance it out, so don’t skip it. In the icing though, it gives a distinct salted caramel flavour so skip it there if you prefer.
- White chocolate: In two forms – regular white chocolate is baked into the cake and the shavings on top are caramelised white chocolate. You can use the latter inside the cake too if you prefer.
How to make it – step by step
Who doesn’t love a cake that comes together in a matter of minutes with a minimum of mess – that’s this caramel mud cake.
Handy equipment to have;
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- Bowl 1: Whisk together all the dry ingredients until there are no lumps.
- Bowl 2: melt together white chocolate and butter, then add all the remaining wet ingredients.
- Combine: Add the wet ingredients to the dry (photo 2) and give them a mix.
- Bake: Pour it into a round cake tin (photo 3) and bake for around 60-70 minutes.
- Ice: Make the caramel icing (photos 4-7) and spread it over the top.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t be tempted to speed up melting the chocolate. It takes less than 2 minutes, but you must zap it in the microwave in 30 second bursts then stir it really well between each.
- This cake can be made into two 8 inch layer cakes but check them around the 30 minute mark.
- Due to it’s dense texture and tight crumb, this recipe works great for layered cakes.
- Use this recipe if you want to make your own caramelised white chocolate.
- To make the caramelised white chocolate curls or shavings that top this cake, take a speed peeler and peel along the edge of a bar of room temperature chocolate.
- This cake is at it’s best 2-3 days after baking. It gets more moist and fudgy as time goes on and the flavour develops as well.
RELATED: Chocolate Mud Cake
Storing this cake
Although this cake is delicious on day one, it improves with age so you can, and even should, make it 2-3 days ahead of time. Make ahead dessert anyone? Yes, please!
Mud cake keeps well. Store the cake in an airtight container in a cool spot for up to 7 days (sometimes more).
You can also freeze caramel mud cake, wrapped in at least 3 layers of plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Due to it’s dense texture, it can take a full day to thaw, so make sure to take out of the freezer the day before you want to serve it.
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More recipes you’ll love
- Chocolate Mud Cake
- Chocolate Mousse Mud Cake
- One Bowl Chocolate Cake
- Cinnamon Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
- Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake
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Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 226 g unsalted butter (2 sticks / 1 cup)
- 180 g white chocolate, roughly chopped (1 cup / 6.4oz)
- 175 g plain (all-purp) flour (1 ⅔ cups / 6.2oz)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 200 g dark brown sugar (1 cup / 7oz)
- ¼ cup golden syrup (notes)
- ⅔ cup milk (160ml)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
FOR THE CARAMEL ICING
- 57 g unsalted butter, chopped
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ⅔ cup icing sugar (80g / 2.8oz)
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
- 50 g white chocolate for topping (optional)
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Grease and line an 8 inch spring form tin with baking paper. Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven.
- MELT: Place the butter and white chocolate into a medium bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring really well between each (notes). Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- DRY INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the sugar and whisk really well until there are no lumps left.
- WET INGREDIENTS: Add the golden syrup, along with the milk, eggs and vanilla to the melted chocolate mixture. Whisk until combined and there are no clumps of egg white left.
- MIX THE BATTER: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry then use a silicon spatula to mix them together until all fully incorporated (don't overmix).
- BAKE: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 60-70 minutes, turning the tin at the halfway point, until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a crumb or two attached. (notes)
- Let it cool 10-15 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
FOR THE ICING
- Add the butter, sugar and milk to a small saucepan, stirring over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
- Once the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the icing sugar and salt and whisk in until fully incorporated.
- Let the icing cool for 5-10 minutes before pouring it over the cooled cake.
- Allow the icing to set for another 5-10 minutes, then use a speed peeler to grate chocolate curls over the top of the cake.
Notes
- For best results, you should always weigh ingredients where a weight is the first measurement given. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
- All ovens are different, one will bake slower or quicker than the next, so start checking for doneness with 10-15 minutes left.
- Don’t be tempted to speed up the melting of the chocolate and butter as you may end up burning the chocolate or coffee which will make it bitter. 30 second bursts and stir really well between each. It should take no longer than 2 minutes.
- If you can’t get golden syrup, you can also use rice malt syrup or maple syrup.
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29 Comments on “Caramel Mud Cake”
does it matter if i use a springform tin or normal non-springform round tin? Would it be harder to take out if i used a normal one?
Hello J. A regular tin will work fine.
I’m really keen to make a milk chocolate caramel mud cake. Do you think it would work if I substituted milk chocolate for the white chocolate?
Hello Caroline. No, it might come close but unfortunately milk chocolate and white chocolate have quite different properties so it won’t result the quite the same texture. I do, however, have a chocolate mud cake recipe you can try.
Hi, I’d like to try out this recipe,
Just a question does it need to be refrigerated once cooked or is it ok not?
Thank you, Melissa
Hello Melissa. No, it can sit at room temperature fine for 3-4 days.
This is a beautiful cake lovely crumb and delicious
So happy you love it, J. Thanks so much for making my recipe 🙂
If wanting to make it into a salted caramel mud cake what would you suggest to do.
Hi Elizabeth. I haven’t tested this so hard to say. You could add up to 1 teaspoon of salt to the cake but I fear it would just make it taste like salty cake as opposed to classic salted caramel flavour. If I were to try it, I think I’d add a little more salt to the icing.
Hi Marie,
I’m wanting to make this recipe for a the base layer of a wedding cake. Any tips on quantities for a 12″ diameter cake that is 6″ high? I’m thinking of doubling the recipe and perhaps making it into a layered cake with frosting between the layers. What do you think?
Hi Leah, I’m sorry but I couldn’t confidently say. It will take a very long time to cook and the outside will likely become dry before the centre is done.
Hi, did you have any success with this? I’m looking to try the same cake tin?
Thanks
Hi how long to bake if using your recipie in cupcakes??
I’d be guessing Tracy, as I haven’t made these into cupcakes. You’d have to just check with a toothpick every so often until their done. If you do try it, please give us an update. Other readers might be wondering about this too.
Hi Marie, If baked in 9 inch tin, would the cake be thin with not much height.
Would you suggest doing 1 1/2 recipe to fit a 9 inch cake?
Hi Usha. It will be a bit shorter but will still be deep enough. I wouldn’t alter the quantity – 1 1/2x would be far too much.
Hi Maria, am planning to make this cake for my granddaughter’s 18th birthday.
Could I use a 9 inch tin for this recipe and how long should I bake it for?
Hello Usha. Yes you can. I haven’t timed it in a 9 inch but it will likely need 5-10 minutes less.
Just made it. I halved the recipe, just to try it out.
Husband who doesn’t like mud cakes enjoyed the cake.
Cake was moist and buttery. Icing was fabulous.
Is there any other icing I could use on the cake for a birthday cake?
Thanks so much for the lovely recipe.?
So happy you love this Usha. Just about any icing or frosting will work here. You could top it with a salted caramel buttercream or maybe try chocolate ganache or chocolate fudge frosting.
So good! Moist decadent..came out a little browner than normal cakes but I think the crust added to the flavour. Made it with the saltier caramel icing and added chocolate sprinkles on top.. even the kids were impressed!
So happy you love it Reshni.
Have you tested this recipe in other tins? I’d like to make this is a loaf tin
Hi Andrea, no I haven’t. It should work however it may turn out a little drier, since the sides will cook much quicker than the centre.
I bought a caramel mud cake two weeks ago and we all loved it. Went back to buy another but they were all sold out. Now no need…..will make my own. Thanks Marie.
No need now Pamela, you can make your own. Thank you so much for your support.
I’m not even sure if I’ve ever tried a chocolate mud cake. And honestly, I can probably wait for another while to try it. But this caramel craziness? It looks and sounds sensational! Moist, buttery, and with caramel and white chocolate? Oh yeah, can I get a HUGE slice right away please? 😉 This smooth glaze looks so inviting!
Thanks so much Ben