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Salted Caramel Pretzel Layer Cake

salted caramel pretzel layer cake - featured image
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A quick and easy homemade dessert featuring moist cake layers, gooey salted caramel, and a crunchy pretzel twist that balances sweet and salty flavors perfectly.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar (for caramel sauce)
  • 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces (for caramel sauce)
  • ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, warmed (for caramel sauce)
  • 1 tsp sea salt (flaky Maldon salt preferred, for caramel sauce)
  • 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened (for frosting)
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for frosting)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • About ½ cup salted caramel sauce (folded into frosting)
  • 1 ½ cups (150 g) pretzels, roughly crushed (for topping and layers)
  • Optional: extra sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter and dust with flour; tap out excess flour.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and scrape down bowl sides.
  5. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  6. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  8. To make salted caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt granulated sugar, stirring constantly until amber colored. Whisk in butter until melted. Slowly add warm heavy cream, whisking continuously. Remove from heat and stir in sea salt. Let cool to room temperature.
  9. For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until fluffy. Fold in about ½ cup cooled salted caramel sauce.
  10. Assemble cake: Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting, sprinkle about ½ cup crushed pretzels evenly. Add a generous layer of frosting, then place second cake layer. Frost top and sides evenly.
  11. Decorate with remaining salted caramel sauce drizzled over top and sprinkle with crushed pretzels and optional sea salt.
  12. Refrigerate cake for at least 1 hour to set frosting and meld flavors. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use room temperature eggs and butter for a lighter cake. Do not overmix after adding flour to avoid dense texture. Crush pretzels by hand for rustic texture. If caramel thickens, gently warm before use. Cool cake layers completely before frosting to prevent melting.

Nutrition

Keywords: salted caramel, pretzel, layer cake, easy dessert, homemade cake, caramel sauce, crunchy, sweet and salty

Find it online: https://merrymorsel.com/salted-caramel-pretzel-layer-cake-recipe-easy-homemade-dessert-idea/