A man my dad works with wants me to make his son a caramel cake with caramel icing for his birthday. Does anyone have a good caramel cake OR icing that they like? I just hate that this is going to be the first time for me to make this cake and he's going to pay me for it and I would feel better if I had some recomendations. I also would like for it to be a doctored mix cake because I do not like scratch cakes when I make them. My mom can make the exact recipe and I'll like hers, just not mine. I'll go to the store in about an hour. Hopefully someone will respond before then.

Thanks!

Hey Shaina, I use the Duncan Hines caramel cake mix, doctor it up a little bit, and it's good! What kind of caramel icing are you looking for? I mean, do you want a more glaze type of gooey icing, or a fluffy BC that you can decorate with? For a regular BC, I like to use Torani syrup in place of some of the water and flavorings. It works wonderfully, and you still have a nice icing that you can make borders and flowers with, etc. HTH!!

I have never used it before, but I know I have seen a caramel cake mix at the store. I think the brand is Duncan Hines, although I'm not certain. You could do the extender like the WASC with it. I also always add a box of pudding to mine. Another thought if you don't have the caramel cake mix where you are is that maybe there is a coffee creamer that has caramel flavor that you could use with a white cake mix. I know you said you wanted to start with a mix, but I searched for "caramel" in the recipes section and this is just one recipe of many that came up. It has the frosting recipe included with it.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1843-7-Caramel-Cake-I.html

Thank you Melvira! I really don't know what kind of icing he wants, he just said caramel cake with caramel icing. I'm sure it doesn't matter and he will love it even if I don't. The men he works with just like cake. Maybe I could use my regular bc with coffee creamer instead of milk? Would that give it enough flavor? The store I'm about to go to is called Piggly Wiggly and they don't have very many options.

Ah, the old Piggly Wiggly! We have one too! Yes, you could use the coffee creamer too! Use some in the cake to enhance the caramel flavor, and some in the icing! Then, when you have some time, look around and see if any store in your area carries the Torani syrups! They should be in or around the coffee aisle. WalMart usually has them. They are fantastic! And you can even get them in sugar free if you don't want to add to much sugar to it! Good luck!!

Melvira, what do you do with the syrup?

Melvira, what do you do with the syrup?

On a different note, when people down here say "caramel cake with caramel icing," they are referring to the old home-style butter caramel cake made from scratch with the cooked caramel icing on it.

Time consuming, but absolutely worth fighting over, lol!

you could also use caramel instant pudding for filling.

I add some to the cake... maybe a quarter cup to replace some of the liquid, then use it in the BC icing if you want that flavor in the icing too. They have a billion flavors it seems, the possibilities are almost endless. I've found that when I tried to use the coffee creamer it was apparently too dense or I used too much or something and it tended to make my cake sink in the middle. The syrup does not do that. And like I said, there is almost an endless mix of flavors to use. I even like to shake it up by combining different flavors to make new ones.

I don't know why my reply posted twice. Sorry. I gather you use the syrup in the BC. I was thinking you might be using it as a simple syrup over your torted cake layers. Would it be too strong to use as a simple syrup?

This recipe may be what you are looking for.

1 stick butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk or canned cream
2 cups pd sugar sifted
1 tsp vanilla
Boil butter and brown sugar about 2 mins. Add milk bring up to boil again then remove pan from heat. Add your pd. sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Use while still warm. Yum.

Thank you addietx. Do you think the recipe I posted will be a good one to use? I really doubt the store will have caramel boxed mixes.

I absolutely love the creamer flavors in coffee but for some reason when I put them in frostings and/or cake mixes, I don't taste them?

In the Cake Mix Doctor book, I think it has a recipe for Caramel Cake and frosting.

Found this when I did a search.

http://www.cakemixdoctor.com/recipes/what_kind/cakes/banana_cake_with_quick_caramel.php


Quick Caramel Frosting

8 tablespoons (one stick butter)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 whole milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Place the butter and the brown sugars in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the mixture comes to a boil, about two minutes. Add the milk, stir and bring the mixture back to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until the frosting is smooth.

2. Use immediately (while still warm) to frost the cake of your choice or the frosting will harden. If it does harden while you are frosting the cake, simply place the pan back over low heat and stir until the frosting softens up.

I don't think it's too strong to use as a simple syrup. Then again, I like intense flavors. I could drink almond extract. (Ok, slight exaggeration there!)

If they don't have the caramel cake mix, then just use a yellow (preferrably not white) cake mix and add the coffee creamer. I have had success using the powdered creamer in cake mix, but not the liquid. Liquid is great for cake balls though! Just don't add the powdered stuff to your icing. Yuk. It makes it grainy and add. (Or, if you want to use it, dissolve it in a little water first!!) Good luck!

I have used that caramel icing before and it is delicious. BUT GET dark AND light! It makes it the perfect color and flavor. It is not an icing to spread and decorate with. It is the kind you drizzle or pour on. But I would think that would be yummy with some BC decorations. Have fun! I LOVE aramel cakes and frostings!

Yeah that one .. what about the cake that goes with it? I looked on her site but could not find it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_14204,00.html

Nevermind. The cake mix doctor just uses white cake.

Shaina, it's ok to use the white mix. It's not really a problem at all. I just know when I want a flavor like caramel, in my head the yellow enhances it better than the white. But I use white for many things. Of course, I never do it with just the egg whites. To me that's too dry. You can use either really! No worries! If Anne likes it, chances are it's pretty kick butt!

Well I'm off to the store. Melvira -- she just uses white cake. No caramel. Gotta pay twice as much as I would wal mart. sigh.

Thanks again everyone!