Eggless Southern Caramel Cake

A classic southern caramel cake has always been one of my favorite celebration desserts. The combination of tender yellow cake and rich caramel frosting is simply hard to beat.

Traditional versions rely heavily on eggs for lift, but this eggless southern caramel cake turns out just as soft and moist.

I made this recipe for anyone who avoids eggs because of allergies or personal choice. You do not have to miss out on classic southern baking just because you cannot eat eggs.

The homemade caramel frosting comes together easily on the stove and sets into a smooth layer over the cake.

It is a wonderful dessert to bring to family dinners, holiday parties, or any weekend get-together.

Why You’ll Love It

Incredible Moisture – The blend of buttermilk and sour cream keeps every single bite wonderfully soft and moist without any eggs.

Authentic Southern Flavor – Boiled brown sugar and rich butter create a deep, genuine caramel taste that feels truly homemade.

Perfect Soft Crumb – Combining oil and melted butter gives the cake layers an exceptionally tender, bakery-style texture.

Quick Frosting – You only need to boil the caramel for two minutes, making the whole frosting process fast and easy.

Ingredient List

For the Cake

• 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/4 cups Buttermilk, Room Temperature
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream, Room Temperature
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Caramel Frosting

• 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar, Packed
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, sour cream, granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, oil and vanilla.

Step 4

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently just until no dry streaks remain. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops.

Step 5

Bake for 28-32 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Step 6

For the frosting, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the dark brown sugar, heavy cream and salt, bring to a boil while stirring, and boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Step 7

Let the caramel mixture cool for 20-30 minutes, until just warm to the touch. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on medium for 2-3 minutes until thick, smooth and spreadable.

Use the frosting right away, as it sets as it cools. If it gets too thick, beat in 1-2 teaspoons of hot water.

Step 8

Place one cake layer on a plate, spread with frosting and top with the second layer. Quickly cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting, using the back of a spoon to make soft swirls, and let it set for 30 minutes before slicing.

Tips

Bring the Dairy to Room Temperature

Make sure your buttermilk and sour cream are truly at room temperature before you start mixing.

If they are cold from the fridge, they will cause your melted butter to seize and turn back into solid little lumps.

From my experience, letting both sit on the counter for about 45 minutes gives you a much smoother batter and an even rise.

Fold the Batter Gently

Since this is an eggless recipe, overmixing the batter is the fastest way to end up with a gummy, dense cake.

I recommend using a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until the dry flour streaks vanish.

It is completely normal if the batter still looks slightly bumpy, so stop stirring before you work out every tiny lump.

Time the Caramel Boil Carefully

When you make the frosting, start your timer the exact moment the brown sugar and butter mixture reaches a full, bubbling boil.

You want it to boil for exactly two minutes while stirring continuously so the sugar melts completely without scorching.

If you boil it for even an extra minute, the syrup can get too firm and turn into hard candy instead of a spreadable frosting.

Try These Next

• Eggless Chocolate Chess Pie
• Eggless Classic Southern Pecan Pie
• Eggless Hummingbird Layer Cake
• Eggless Southern Banana Pudding
• Eggless Southern Buttermilk Pie

Questions You Might Have

What should I do if the caramel frosting sets too quickly before I finish frosting the cake?

Southern caramel frosting naturally firms up fast as it cools, but you can easily fix this by beating in a teaspoon or two of hot water. That will loosen it up right away so it becomes silky and easy to spread again.

If it has cooled down too much, you can also place your mixing bowl over a pot of warm water for a minute to gently soften the frosting.