This cake is a delicious dessert that is perfect for every special occasion. This Golden Key Caramel Cake Recipe is made with lush layers of caramel cake, soaked in sweet caramel syrup. To top it all off, this caramel cake is packed full of caramel frosting.
To make it a delight not only for the mouth but for the eyes as well, this cake is topped with roasted hazelnuts and chocolate flakes.
This cake is the best recipe to impress your guests. And surprisingly, it is super easy to make. The recipe is well-written and very easy to follow. The ingredients are very easy to find.
You can make a delicious treat for everyone at your table with just a little effort.
Where’s the Caramel?
Caramel is the sweet syrupy stuff you get by melting sugar. We typically use white sugar for caramel, but there are various other methods for making this treat.
We are not using Caramel in this recipe, as I am sure you have already noticed. Instead, we used something even better. This ingredient, called “Dulce de Leche”, works perfectly with this cake recipe.
This ingredient is made by boiling a large amount of sugar in milk. When it is done, Dulce de Leche has a nice spreadable consistency.
Where does the Golden Key Caramel Cake Recipe come from?
The Golden key caramel cake is a very popular dessert, it is found all around the world in one form or another. The original recipe is said to have come from the United States around the 1900s.
Yes, this incredible dish has been around for that long. It had plenty of time to spread around different regions and take on variations which made it even more famous.
The basic recipe typically involves some layers of sponge cake that are immersed in caramel syrup. These are usually brought together with some sort of caramel frosting.
The original recipe has given birth to quite a few beloved desserts like a famous caramel cake from New Orleans, called the Doberge torte or the Mississippi Mud Cake.
These are just two of the many cake recipes that either inspired or were inspired by the Golden Key Caramel Cake Recipe.
How to Make Dulce de Leche
Making dulce de leche is very simple. Mix a can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of water. Bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2 to 3 hours. In the end, the milk will have a thick consistency and a caramel color.
Golden Key Caramel Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar granulated
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 can 400 g dulce de leche
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
For Dulce de Leche Syrup
- 230 grams of condensed milk
- 1 can 400 g dulce de leche
- 2 cup whole hazelnuts
- For Dulce de Leche Cream
- 230 grams butter unsalted, at room temperate
- 230 grams of cream cheese room temperature
- 1 can 400 g dulce de leche
- 460 grams of heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans.
- In a stand mixer, whip together the eggs, sugar, and salt until smooth and thick.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, dulce de leche, and baking soda.
- Fold the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking pans and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling the cake.
For the Hazelnuts
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F (163 °C).
- Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
- Allow the hazelnuts to cool completely before rubbing them in a ziplock bag to remove the skins.
- Chop half of the hazelnuts into medium-sized pieces.
- For the Soaking Syrup
- Whisk together the condensed milk and dulce de leche until smooth.
For the Caramel Cream
- Whip the heavy cream until medium peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, whip together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Add the dulce de leche to the butter mixture and whip until combined.
- Fold in the whipped cream until combined.
To Assemble the Cake
- Place a cake layer on a serving plate and spread with a layer of caramel cream.
- Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the remaining cake layers.
- Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining caramel cream.
- Sprinkle the top of the cake with chocolate flakes and whole hazelnuts.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.
- Enjoy!
Tips for Making an Excellent Golden Key Caramel Cake
Now let’s talk about what you can do to make your Caramel cake even better.
Make the perfect dulce de leche at home to get an even richer caramel taste in your cake.
Sometimes the layers are not baked evenly. To make great cake layers, rotate the cake pans halfway through the baking.
To avoid your cake sticking to the pans, make sure to grease and flour the pans well. You can also use parchment or baking paper.
It is best to cool the layers completely before assembly. This gives the cake sustainability and it doesn’t crumble much. Let it cool for at least an hour. Or even better, refrigerate it overnight before assembling the cake.
To avoid a crumbly cake, refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before serving.
In Conclusion
The Golden Key Caramel Cake recipe gives a delicious dessert that is beloved by all who have the fortune of tasting it. It is the perfect treat for all special occasions like birthdays, holidays, or even weddings.
As with all other recipes, this golden key caramel cake can be changed to suit your taste. For example, you can choose different kinds of toppings. You can add different flavors to the syrup or change the frosting with flavors like vanilla, coffee, or cinnamon.
No matter how you choose to make it, this recipe is going to help to the end. We hope you have a great experience with this incredible dessert.
If you like this recipe, here are a few more recommendations from our chefs: Easy Homemade Custard Recipe
Happy baking!
