Discover the ultimate Easy Butterscotch Cake, a delightfully simple yet incredibly satisfying dessert perfect for any occasion. This recipe focuses on creating a moist, flavorful cake with a divine butterscotch sauce, making it incredibly accessible even for beginner bakers.
Key Ingredients for Easy Butterscotch Cake
- For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1.5 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- For the Butterscotch Sauce:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
How to Make Easy Butterscotch Cake
This Easy Butterscotch Cake is a culinary hug in a bowl, guaranteed to bring smiles with its effortless preparation and deeply comforting flavors. The secret lies in its simple, wholesome ingredients that come together to create a masterpiece. Imagine a cake so moist that it melts in your mouth, crowned with a luscious, homemade butterscotch sauce that’s both rich and velvety. With a prep time of just 20 minutes and a bake time of 30-35 minutes, this dessert is surprisingly quick to whip up.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or two 8-inch round cake pans. This ensures your cake won’t stick and will release beautifully.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside. Having your dry ingredients ready and sifted is a crucial step for even distribution.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and the packed light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. This creaming process incorporates air, which is essential for a tender cake.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the two large eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract. Don’t overmix at this stage; just combine until just incorporated.
- Alternate dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake. You should have a smooth batter.
- Pour and bake: Pour the batter evenly into your prepared baking pan(s). Bake for 30-35 minutes for a 9×13 inch pan, or 25-30 minutes for 8-inch round pans, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Prepare the butterscotch sauce while the cake bakes: In a medium saucepan, melt the 1 cup of butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the 2 cups of packed light brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and let it boil for 1 minute.
- Finish the sauce: Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Stir until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Assemble the cake: Once the cake is baked and still warm (but not hot), poke holes all over the top of the cake using a fork or skewer. Slowly and evenly pour the warm butterscotch sauce over the entire cake, allowing it to seep into the holes.
- Cool and serve: Let the cake cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving. The sauce will continue to set as it cools, creating a wonderfully gooey topping.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Butterscotch Cake
This Easy Butterscotch Cake is a revelation in home baking, offering unparalleled warmth and comfort without the fuss. Its true magic lies in the incredibly moist cake base, perfectly complemented by a homemade butterscotch sauce that’s decadently rich and velvety smooth. Unlike store-bought cakes that can often be too dry or overly sweet, this recipe uses simple ingredients to achieve a depth of flavor that’s truly special. It’s a budget-friendly way to create a show-stopping dessert that rivals any bakery treat.
Imagine sinking your fork into a tender slice, the sweet, caramel notes of butterscotch dancing on your palate. It’s a taste that evokes cozy evenings and cherished memories, easily surpassing the average chocolate or vanilla cake in sheer indulgence. Plus, the aroma that fills your kitchen as it bakes is pure bliss! Don’t just dream about it; bring this delightful Easy Butterscotch Cake to life in your own kitchen today.
Storing and Reheating Tips
To ensure your Easy Butterscotch Cake remains delicious for days to come, proper storage is key. Once the cake has cooled completely, cover the baking pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the cake to an airtight
container. Stored at room temperature, the cake will stay fresh for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate the cake in an airtight container. It will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
To reheat, you have a few delightful options. For individual slices, you can gently warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds until just warmed through. This helps to re-soften the cake and enhance the gooeyness of the butterscotch sauce. If you have a larger portion, you can warm it in a low oven (around 300°F or 150°C) for about 5-10 minutes. For freezing, allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Frozen cake can be kept for up to 1 month. To thaw, transfer the frozen cake to the refrigerator overnight; then reheat as desired.
Final Thoughts
This Easy Butterscotch Cake is a testament to how simple ingredients can create extraordinary desserts. Encourage yourself to try this recipe; it’s a delightful journey that promises a warm, comforting, and incredibly delicious outcome.
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- Our Pinterest
Easy Butterscotch Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or two 8-inch round cake pans. This ensures your cake won’t stick and will release beautifully.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside. Having your dry ingredients ready and sifted is a crucial step for even distribution.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking soda, 0.5 teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and the packed light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. This creaming process incorporates air, which is essential for a tender cake.1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, 1.5 cups packed light brown sugar
- Beat in the two large eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract. Don’t overmix at this stage; just combine until just incorporated.2 large eggs, at room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake. You should have a smooth batter.1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- Pour the batter evenly into your prepared baking pan(s). Bake for 30-35 minutes for a 9×13 inch pan, or 25-30 minutes for 8-inch round pans, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Prepare the butterscotch sauce while the cake bakes: In a medium saucepan, melt the 1 cup of butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the 2 cups of packed light brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and let it boil for 1 minute.1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Stir until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract. The sauce will thicken as it cools.0.5 cup heavy cream, Pinch salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once the cake is baked and still warm (but not hot), poke holes all over the top of the cake using a fork or skewer. Slowly and evenly pour the warm butterscotch sauce over the entire cake, allowing it to seep into the holes.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving. The sauce will continue to set as it cools, creating a wonderfully gooey topping.