Salted Caramel Pound Cake is a perfectly dense and buttery cream cheese pound cake with a tender crumb topped with a generous amount of caramel, sprinkled with salt. The cream cheese pound cake can stand alone, it’s that good! But then, the simple addition of some homemade caramel and salt takes the cake to a whole new level of a dessert! I also have a Kentucky Butter Crunch Cake that is out of this world when it comes to flavor!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Room Temperature Ingredients: To achieve the perfect crumb in this pound cake, ensure each ingredient is at room temperature. And, make sure each ingredient is incorporated before moving onto the next.
Butter: Butter is the primary fat source in pound cake, so you will need 2 1/2 sticks of it! I prefer unsalted butter to have the most control of salt added to recipes. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen the amount of salt added to the topping.
Eggs: Six large eggs act as binding agents and structure for the cake.
Flour: This recipe specifically calls for cake flour. (All-purpose flour will yield different results.) If you don’t have any cake flour, you can use a homemade cake flour substitute in a pinch.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture and tenderness to the pound cake, as well as a subtle tang. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own!
Caramel Sauce: I added an entire cup of caramel sauce to the top of the cake, but feel free to add even more! Then, sprinkle some salt over the top for the salted caramel effect.
How To Serve Salted Caramel Pound Cake
This cake is pretty close to perfect as-is, but it can be enjoyed in a few ways! Here are some options for serving this pound cake:
- Enjoy a warmed-up slice with coffee or tea.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Top with whipped cream.
- Drizzle a slice with even more caramel sauce.
- Sprinkle chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or almonds over the caramel topping.
- Pair a slice of the pound cake with fresh berries or fresh fruit.
Can I Use A Different Pan?
Sure! Although I used a 10-inch bundt pan (a pan with decorative fluted edges and a hollow center), you could also use loaf pans. This recipe could fill two loaf pans. Bake the loaves for 60-80 minutes, starting to check on the loaves at the hour mark. The pound cake is done baking when it is golden on top and an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs (not completely clean), but no wet batter.
How To Store Salted Caramel Pound Cake
Pound cakes are best stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap or covered, for up to 3 days. This helps them retain their texture and flavor. If preferred, you can also store them in the refrigerator for up to five days. However, be mindful that refrigeration may lead to quicker drying out, so ensure the cake is well-wrapped to maintain moisture. If possible, drizzle with caramel and top with salt when ready to serve.
Can I Freeze Salted Caramel Pound Cake?
Yes, you can freeze this pound cake, but I recommend freezing it without the salted caramel topping. To freeze the cake, double-wrap it in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer. When ready to enjoy the cake from frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight (about 8 hours) before topping it with caramel and salt. Slice and serve!
Salted Caramel Pound Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks / 283.5 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups (384 g) cake flour
- ¼ cup (61 g) buttermilk, room temperature
Topping
- 1 cup (344 g) caramel sauce, homemade or store-bought
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Cake
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add cream cheese and butter. On medium speed, mix until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Add sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour until just combined.
- Mix in buttermilk until just incorporated.
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 85-90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs but no wet batter.
- Set the cake on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Topping
- Once the cake is completely cooled, invert it onto a serving plate and pour caramel topping over the cake. Sprinkle with salt. Slice and serve!
Video
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
Dang, this is good. The pound cake is so good on its own, but the salted caramel takes it to another level. Amazing!
Elizabeth
The texture of this pound cake is absolutely perfect. And then, you can't go wrong with a salted caramel topping!
Rachael
The crumb on this cake is so beautiful, and I am not even a big fan of cake. But, this is a tender crumb that goes beautifully with salted caramel.
Bella
A deliciously moist pound cake! I loveeee salted caramel, so the topping definitely takes this pound cake to another level!
Annabelle
I love this pound cake recipe, and the caramel pairs so well with it. This would be a great recipe for any gathering!
Selena
The pound cake itself is perfection. But topped with the caramel is just delightful. I love how the salt balances the sweetness in this recipe.
Amanda,
I often ship the things I bake. They go from west coast to east coast. Takes a few days. So nothing too sticky gooey and nothing that has to be refrigerated. Do you think the caramel sauce could be packed in a jar to be shipped with the cake or does it need to be refrigerated? I think home made would taste best although I could buy pre-packaged.
The recipe looks delicious! Maybe nuts could be added for a variation?
Hi, Amanda!
I’d love to bake this in loaf pans, so that I can gift them to neighbors who helped me out when I had a fractured kneecap, and was confined to bed for 6 weeks (except for trips to the ladies room 😧).
How long would you suggest baking them for, and should I use 8″ or 9″ loaf pans? Many thanks, from Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦.
Hi! I am unable to eat cream cheese, can I substitute sour cream for the cream cheese??