Our Dulce de Leche Cake recipe tastes as good as it looks and is easy to make from scratch. tPerfect for any caramel lover in your life.
Our other favorite “birthday party” worthy cakes include German Chocolate Cake, Coconut Cake, Carrot Cake and Flourless Chocolate Cake.
We’ve crowned Dulce de Leche Cake our new birthday fav.
We’ve crowned Dulce de Leche Cake our new birthday fav.There’s not treat that reigns more supreme for me than cake, and I’m very excited to introduce you guys to this brand new Dulce de Leche Cake. I started testing this cake last year, when my oldest son requested a “caramel-like” cake for his birthday. Over the months it’s become everyones birthday request, and I’ve tweaked it until it has the perfect tender cake crumb and high quality dulce de leche buttercream.
Be careful not to over bake the cake layers, or they will be dry. And take care to whip the buttercream until light and fluffy.
How to make Dulce de Leche Cake:
Make Cake Batter: Cream together butter and sugar for about 3 minutes, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add vanilla and then eggs, mixing in one at a time, until combined. With the mixer on, add sour cream and slowly add ½ of the can of dulce de leche, mixing until batter becomes lighter in color.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry mixture and the milk, starting and ending with the dry mixture.
Bake: Pour batter into prepared cake pans then bake for about 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs). Do NOT over bake the cake, or it will be dry. Remove cake and cool in the pan for a few minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Make Frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, powdered sugar and ½ can of dulce de leche. Mix for several minutes, tunil lightened in color, and very fluffy and smooth. Add a little milk, if needed, to thin the frosting.
Assemble: Place one cake round on serving platter or cardboard cake round and spread a thin layer of frosting on top. Add ½ of the second can of dulce de leche to a small bowl then microwave for a just a few seconds, to soften it a little. Spread it on top of the cake, leaving a 1 inch border. Place the second cake round on top.
Pipe a line of frosting into the crack between the two layers of cake. Frost cake completely with a very thin layer of frosting—the crumb coat. Stick in the fridge for 20 minutes, or freezer for 10 minutes. Remove and add another layer of frosting over the crumb coat.
Decorate Cake: Warm remaining ½ can of dulce de leche in a small bowl in the microwave for a just a few seconds to soften. Smooth dulce de leche over the top of the cake, leaving a 1-inch board. Pipe decorative frosting swirls around the outer top edge, if desired. (I use my reusable ateco piping bag and wilton 1M piping tip). Sprinkle a pinch of flake salt on top of the cake, if desired.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The dulce de leche frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before remixing into soft and fluffy.
To Freeze: The cakes and frosting can be frozen. Allow the cakes to cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to one month. Frost cakes when they are still frozen. Freeze frosting in an airtight container for up to three months.
More Cake Recipes:
- Tres Leches Cake
- Cannoli Cake
- Lemon Cake
- Berry Cake
- Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
- Banana Bundt Cake
- Yellow Cake
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Recipe
Dulce de Leche Cake
Equipment
- Wilton 1M Piping Tip , optional
Ingredients
Dulce de Leche Cake:
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter , room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2/3 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup whole milk , at room temperature
- 1 14 oz can dulce de leche* , DIVIDED (half in cake, half in between layers when frosting)
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
Dulce de Leche Buttercream:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter , slightly cold
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 14 oz can dulce de leche* , divided (half in frosting, half reserved as topping for the cake).
- flake salt , optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper rounds and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl with electric beaters, or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and the sugar. Cream together for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and then eggs, mixing in one at a time, until combined.
- With the mixer on, add sour cream, and slowly add ½ of the can of dulce de leche, mixing until batter becomes lighter in color.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry mixture and the milk, starting and ending with the dry mixture.
- Bake: Pour the batter into prepared cake pans and bake for about 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs). Do NOT over bake or the cake will be dry. Allow to cool for a few minutes before inverting onto wire cooling racks to cool completely.
- Dulce de Leche Buttercream Frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, powdered sugar and ½ can of dulce de leche and beat for several minutes, until very fluffy and smooth. Add a little milk, if needed, to thin the frosting.
- Assemble: Place one cake round serving plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top. Add ½ of the second can of dulce de leche to a small bowl and microwave for a just a few seconds, to soften it a little. Spread it on top of the cake, leaving a 1 inch border. Place the second cake round on top. Pipe a line of frosting into the crack between the two layers of cake. Frost cake completely with a very thin layer of frosting—the crumb coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or freezer for 10 minutes. Remove and then add another layer of frosting over the crumb coat.
- Warm the remaining ½ can of dulce de leche in a small bowl in the microwave for a just a few seconds to soften. Smooth dulce de leche over the top of the cake, leaving a 1-inch board. Pipe decorative frosting swirls around the outer top edge of the cake.
- Sprinkle a pinch of flake salt on top of the cake, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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The recipe is super easy to follow and the result was delicious! I’ll be making this for all the birthdays moving forward
If you like dulce de leche, you will like this cake. It’s easy to make and presents well. We liked it better refrigerated instead of at room temperature. I would make it again!