Say hello to the MOST DELICIOUS rich, buttery and moist Caramel Mud Cake smothered with creamy caramel frosting. This simple melt and mix recipe is perfect for birthdays and celebrations and is ready to serve in just over an hour!
Mud cakes are one of my favourite cake varieties - especially when baking birthday cakes!
The rich, dense and moist texture of mud cakes makes them perfect for layering and decorating or simply smothering with creamy frosting!
Just like my classic Chocolate Mud Cake recipe and my White Chocolate Mud Cake recipe, this Caramel Mud Cake is perfect for any special occasion - especially when you need to feed a crowd!
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
If you're a lover of all things caramel, then this is the recipe for you!
The sweet, buttery and moist texture of the cake is perfectly complemented by the creamy caramel frosting.
- Basic ingredients - this simple caramel mud cake is made using basic pantry and fridge staples - so there's no need to make extra trips to the supermarket.
- Feeds a crowd - as this is a beautiful dense, rich and decadent cake, the servings only need to be quite small... which makes this a great option for serving to many.
- Perfect celebration cake - perfect for a special occasion, a birthday or anniversary, or special dessert cake.
- Layered cake option - the dense texture of this cake makes it perfect for creating a layered cake. Simply divide the batter into 2-3 smaller cake tins, bake (reduce the time slightly) and layer together with creamy frosting between each layer.
- No-fail recipe - it's so simple to make... melt, mix and bake. The perfect recipe for everyone from beginner bakers or young cooks through to experienced chefs.
- No mixer required - you don't need a stand mixer or beaters to make this recipe... just a spoon will do!
- Thermomix or conventional method - this caramel mud cake recipe can be made using a Thermomix or conventionally using a microwave (or stovetop) and then baked in the oven. The choice is yours!
What You Need
Just a handful of pantry and fridge staple ingredients are needed to make this easy caramel mud cake.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
For The Cake
- butter - either salted or unsalted butter is fine to use in this recipe
- brown sugar - for that moist caramel sweetness. You can use either regular brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will give you a richer caramel flavour than regular brown sugar. Note: I generally use regular brown sugar as I love the light caramel flavour it gives the cake
- milk - I recommend using full cream milk in this recipe
- white chocolate - use a good quality white baking chocolate such as Cadburys White Melts
- plain flour - also known as all purpose flour
- self raising flour - also known as self-rising flour, this is a blend of plain flour (all-purpose flour) and a raising agent. You can make your own by adding 2 tsp baking powder to every cup of plain flour.
- vanilla extract - or vanilla bean paste or vanilla essence
- eggs - use large eggs (60 gm) and have your eggs at room temperature before preparing the cake batter
- pinch of salt - this perfectly balances the sweetness of the cake
For The Frosting
- butter - either salted or unsalted butter is fine to use in this recipe
- brown sugar - again, either regular brown sugar or dark brown sugar can be used in this recipe
- milk - I recommend using full cream milk, rather than light or skim, for a fuller flavoured result
- soft icing sugar mixture - use soft icing mixture, rather than pure icing sugar as you want the frosting to be soft, creamy and luscious, rather than set firm.
Step By Step Instructions
I just love the sweet wafting smells coming from the kitchen when this cake is baking in the oven!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1 - Melt
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees celsius (fan forced) and grease and line both the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin.
Place the butter, brown sugar, milk and white chocolate melts in a bowl and heat in the microwave on 50% power (or on a stove top), stirring every 30 seconds for about 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Step 2 - Mix
Sift over both the plain and self raising flour, add the vanilla extract, the eggs and salt.
Mix to combine all ingredients.
Step 3 - Bake
Pour the mixture into your cake tin and bake for 60 minutes, and then allow the cake to cool before transferring to a wire rack or plate.
Step 4 - Make The Caramel Frosting
Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power. Stir in the brown sugar and milk, then microwave for two to three 30 second bursts.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Sift the icing sugar over the wet ingredients and mix well together with a whisk.
If your frosting is too runny, add a little more sifted icing sugar and mix through.
Remove the cooled caramel mud cake from the baking tin and spread the frosting thickly over the top.
Expert Tips and FAQ's
While some mud cake recipes use sweetened condensed milk or golden syrup to get their caramel flavour, my recipe uses the classic combination of brown sugar and white chocolate melts which combine to create a smooth, sweet and creamy caramel flavour. Brown sugar and white chocolate give mud cakes the BEST rich caramel flavour!
Absolutely! Simply divide the mixture into 2-3 smaller tins and reduce the baking time. Ensure you make extra frosting to sandwich between the layers.
If you notice that the mud cake is browning too much while cooking, loosely place a sheet of foil over the top and continue cooking until the cake is ready.
Being a dense and rich sweet cake, servings only need to be small. This cake serves 16 people.
This caramel mud cake is best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Do not store the mud cake in the fridge as it will dry out. Mud cake stays deliciously moist for days, making it perfect for preparing ahead of time.
You can freeze this caramel mud cake frosted or unfrosted. Simply wrap in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze the cooled cake for up to 3 months. Allow to come to room temperature before consuming.
Related Recipes
If you love caramel as much as I do (and really... who doesn't!), then you're going to fall head over heels for these sweet caramel recipes:
- Easy Banana Blondies with Caramel Frosting - this moist slice is to die for, and a great way to use up those over-ripe bananas too. It is a must-make and perfect for school lunchboxes too.
- White Chocolate Caramel Slice - a yummy twist on the classic caramel slice that we all know and love.
- 3 Ingredient Caramel Cheesecake Balls - that's right, 3 ingredients! Made with caramel flavoured Tim Tams, cream cheese and then coated in chocolate - a sneaky treat to enjoy with that late night cuppa.
- Chocolate Caramel Slice - I just couldn't miss out on including the most popular and classic caramel slice......it speaks for itself.
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Caramel Mud Cake
Ingredients
- 250 g butter chopped
- 2 cups (350g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (250g) milk full cream
- 200 g white chocolate melts or cooking chocolate
- 1 ½ cups (225g) plain flour
- ½ cup (75g) self-raising flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- pinch of salt
For the frosting
- 60 g butter
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 2-3 tbs milk
- 2 cups (300g) icing sugar mixture
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 150 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper (on the base and sides) and set aside.
- Place the butter, brown sugar, milk and white chocolate melts into a microwave-safe bowl and heat on 50% power for approximately 5 minutes or until melted (stirring every 30 seconds). Allow to cool slightly. Note: Alternatively, you can do this step in a saucepan on the stovetop.
- Sift over the plain flour, self-raising flour and add the vanilla extract, eggs and salt. Mix together until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Allow the cake to cool before transferring to a wire rack or plate.
- To make the caramel frosting, melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% power.
- Add the brown sugar and milk and stir together. Place back into the microwave for 2-3 30 second bursts or until slightly thickened. Allow to cool slightly for a few minutes.
- Sift the icing sugar mixture over the top of the mixture and mix together with a whisk.
- Spread the caramel frosting over the top of the caramel mud cake and serve.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 150 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper (on the base and sides) and set aside.
- Place the butter, brown sugar, milk and white chocolate melts into the Thermomix bowl and melt for 4 minutes, 60 degrees, Speed 2 (or until melted and smooth).
- Add the plain flour, self-raising flour and add the vanilla extract, eggs and salt and mix for 5 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 5 seconds (or until smooth and combined). Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Allow the cake to cool before transferring to a wire rack or plate.
- To make the caramel frosting, place the butter, brown sugar and milk into the Thermomix bowl. Melt for 3 minutes, Speed 2, 60 degrees (or until slightly thickened. Allow to cool slightly.
- Sift the icing sugar mixture into the bowl and mix for 5 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 5 seconds.
- Spread the caramel frosting over the top of the caramel mud cake and serve.
Yarnah
I made this for my mother in laws birthday as a double layer. It was a hit!! My 20cm tin isn’t very high so the mixture was going to overflow 1 tin so I split it between 2. It only needed 50ish minutes to cook and came out perfectly. It was sooo easy to whip up while the kids were in the bath! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Lucy
Fantastic!!!
Christine Muller
Hello I want to make this cake in a 9x3 inch square pan.Will I double the recipe and how long to bake please
Lucy
Hi Christine, I dont think you will need to double the recipe using a 9X3 pan. The original quantity should be fine in that!
Maddy
Is there a way to alter the recipe to make salted caramel mud cake?
Lucy
Absolutely! I would just add a pinch of salt (to your taste) to the mixture and frosting!
Lyn Gibbs
I would love to use this recipe for my grandsons 7th birthday cake. I need to bake it in a rectangular cake tin to be able to cut the number 7. My question is, would I double the ingredients do you think, and how long would I need to bake it?
Lucy
Hi Lynn, yes I would double it. The extra time is going to be dependent on your oven. As it will need a longer cooking time, I would suggest adding a sheet of foil loosely over the top partway through cooking to stop it from overbrowning. Continue cooking until tested with a skewer and it comes out with a few moist (but not wet) crumbs or clean.
Lyn
Thank so much Lucy. Wish me luck!
Lucy
Good luck! I'm sure it will be fabulous!!
Alitia D'Hagè
I made this yesterday for hubby & a friend, it's my new Easter Cake! I subbed the flours with gluten free plain & self raising, I subbed the white chocolate for a 315g block of caramilk chocolate & used the dark brown sugar.
I've had to share the recipe 5 times since lunchtime yesterday! Thank you SO much. Easy AND delicious.
Lucy
Fantastic! Thank you so much!
Rachel
Can I ask if my oven dosen't have a fan forced option do I still cook at the 150 or adjust to 170 which is the 150 fan forced equivalent?
I would love to try it as it looks delicious but unsure what temp I should use .
Many thanks
Lucy
Hi Rachel, you will need to increase the temp accordingly. xx