Caramel Cake

CARAMEL CAKE IS A DELICIOUS LABOR OF LOVE no matter how you slice it. With buttery yellow cake layers stacked up high between layers of expertly crafted icing, it’s iconic for its sweet richness and worth every ounce of effort it takes.

Caramel cakes are often made with lots of thin cake layers, like the doberge cakes made popular in New Orleans, but whether you make yours with two layers or 13, the truest mark of a traditional version is its cooked icing. The traditional recipes are made by cooking granulated sugar to a deep brown, boiling it with the remaining ingredients like butter and cream, and beating it so it sets up—while making sure you ice the cake at just the right time. Because mastering the cooked icing is such an artform, shortcut methods—like those made with brown sugar—are also popular. Whichever way you whip it up, the caramelly goodness is hard to beat, and these five takes on its beloved indulgent flavor are sure to spread the love.

Caramel Layer Cake

MAKES 1 (9-INCH) CAKE

(photo on page 25)

This special occasion-worthy cake is so delicious you'll