Toffee Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Caramel Frosting
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This cake is like putting on a soothing warm blanket. This time of year I’ll happily take my blankets in the form of cake. Well, anytime of year actually.
It’s an easy cake that’s perfect for parties, events, or just because your sweet tooth is calling your name. It reminds me of a brown sugar pound cake but I find pound cakes in general too dense and usually dry. This one is neither.
The cake itself has the perfect amount of spice and there are toffee bits incorporated both in the cake and on top. I used a boxed spice cake mix but if you have a scratch version you love, use it.
The frosting is where it’s at. But isn’t that true of almost all cakes. Have a little cake with my frosting is the way I am.
It’s a boiled frosting that starts with brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk and as the frosting simmers it takes on wonderful caramel notes. Make sure to whisk and scrape the frosting in the saucepan nearly continuously as it’s boiling because you don’t want it to scorch.
Depending on how much salt you choose to add, it’s almost like salted caramel sauce. You’ll want to eat it by the spoonful, I promise.
To help dispose of everything from cake crumbs, frosting remnants, stray toffee bits, and the plate scrapings from holiday entertaining and various parties, I used my new Moen garbage disposal. Moen now offers seven different disposal models ranging from 1/3 horsepower to 1 HP.
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As a special holiday treat for my readers, Moen is giving away a garbage disposal to one lucky reader! To enter, comment below telling me what’s the best thing you’re making or eating for the holidays. Giveaway is open to all. Ends December 21, 2016. Winner will be contacted by email. Winner is responsible for installation. If you don’t see your comment appear immediately, it’s because I have to manually approve all comments. No need to make a duplicate comment.
Toffee Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Caramel Frosting
This is an easy cake that’s perfect for parties, events, or just because your sweet tooth is calling your name. The cake itself has the perfect amount of spice and there are toffee bits incorporated both in the cake and on top. The frosting is where it’s at. It’s a boiled frosting that starts with brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk and as the frosting simmers it takes on wonderful caramel notes. Whisk and scrape frosting nearly continuously as it boils.
Ingredients
- one 16.5-ounce box spice cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup toffee bits, divided
- one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil for easier cleanup and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the cake mix, eggs, water, oil, and mix up the cake batter according to package directions.
- Stir in 1/2 cup toffee bits.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan and bake for about 25 to 29 minutes, or until done. Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack while you make the frosting.
- To a large saucepan with high sides, add the sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and allow mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until thickened. You’ll notice at about the 4 to 5 minute mark it starts thickening quite a bit and that’s when you know it’s ready. During the 5 minutes, it’s very important to whisk nearly continuously and also scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula very frequently because you don’t want the mixture to stick to the bottom and scorching which it’s prone to doing.
- Remove saucepan from the heat, add the butter, vanilla, optional salt to taste (adding about 1/2 teaspoon will give you more of a salted caramel flavor), and stir to combine.
- Evenly pour frosting over cake.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits.
- Allow frosting to set up for about 2 hours, or until slightly hardened, before slicing and serving. Cake will keep airtight at room temp for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 452Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 235mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 0gSugar: 56gProtein: 6g
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52 Comments on “Toffee Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Caramel Frosting”
I will be making a holiday eggnog pound cake, and I will also try this delicious looking toffee spice cake.
I will be baking a glazed ham and trying my hand at homemade rolls. I will also make a rum cake. Yum!
That toffe spice cake looks mighty good. Going to have to give it a go. Thanks for the chance at the Moen prize. Happy Holidays.
homemade cinnamon rolls :)
We love the sides most! Like corn pudding and broccoli & cheese casserole! Yum!
Sautéed green beans with bacon crumbles and roasted pecans. Easily my favorite dish to eat during the holidays!
In our family nothing beats whipped shortbread, so that is mine
What a delicious cake! A unique dessert for the holidays.
We make Oreo balls and lots of cookies!
I will be making my favorite cornbread chicken and dressing this Christmas. Plus, some of your Christmas cookies as my family will disown me if I don’t. Thanks for the recipes and neat ideas!! (I sp wish I’d win the Moen Garbage Disposal).
I made white chicken chili tonight for dinner, per my boys’ request. And they’re eating it. Score!
I’ll be trying a new recipe of red velvet seven layer bars for Christmas!!!!
My favorite goodie is my homemade fruitcake. It was my grandfather’s recipe. It is delicious!
The very best goodie I make is a fruitcake! It’s my grandfather’s recipe! It’s amazing and I have
it for breakfast or dessert in the evenings.
Fav thing is definitely my cheese / charcuterie trays. They’re Delish and beautiful too ?
Red Velvet Cake
Hot fudge
Cinnamon rolls and hopefully lots of cookies :)
I always look forward to my mom’s homemade caramels! They just melt in your mouth. Yum! ?
The best thing I’ll be eating is slow roasted brisket.
Cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, and lasagna for Christmas Eve! ?
I make my grandmother’s yeast buns. If I don’t I’m in bug trouble.
We make meringue cookies and I am excited to try a hazelnut buche de noel this year.
I love having and making the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. My favorite thing to make is Spaghetti Aioli with hazelnuts and baked stuffed shrimp. We enjoy so many foods it’s so hard to pick one. Merry Christmas ?
We are making cookies
I will be making asiago potatoes, very simple recipe but delicious. A greased 9×13 pan thin sliced potatoes, shredded asiago cheese, heavy cream, salt/pepper and then repeat the layers. I use a fork and poke around to make sure the cream makes it al the way to the bottom. I bake at 400 till the top is nice and golden brown about 45 minutes…
Happy Holidays ….
I’m making snickerdoodles! A holiday tradition for me. ?
hey girl- this looks so yummy!
We will be making Christmas cinnamon rolls, thanks
I am making fudge, haystacks, divinity, lots of cookies, peanut butter balls, and I will be trying this cake! It sounds amazing!
It’s all about the cookies!!! Can’t bake too many ;)
We start Christmas morning out with a special breakfast casserole that we’ve made for many, many years. It’s really good and we have a bundt cake that is called a butter rich bundt cake that we serve with it. It’s a really great breakfast and never any left overs. For dinner, we prepare prime rib — the only time we ever splurge and get it!
I’ll be making your caramels as usual. Definitely a neighborhood favorite!
OMG This cake is FABULOUS!!!
I’m making Swedish meatballs and Bananna ginger poke cake as always. Those are just my favorites, I make it all. I have all boys. Lol
We always have fresh cranberry sauce and I love the Cajun spiced fried turkey my dad makes!
About ready to make peanut butter blossom cookies? to add to the others I already baked!!
So many homemade soups for Christmas Eve night! Haven’t decided which ones we’re trying out this year?
I just had my first taste of Peppermint Bark last night and will be making it this weekend to share with others! Cannnot believe I was missing out!!
I am expecting a baby very soon (due Dec. 26!) and said I wouldn’t be doing any Christmas baking this year…well, over 5 batches of cookies and treats later, here we are! Including a batch of peppermint bark which is my favorite holiday treat.
Graham cracker Christmas crack. It’s my favorite (your recipe)!
I bake tons of brownies and make fudge, that I sell to buy food for our “Backpack” program at our local school. We send food home with over 100 kids each week to “get them through” the wk-end. :( Lots of poverty in our county.
Hope everyone reading this has a blessed CHRISTmas! <3
I am making your cranberry bliss bars/cookies! Actually what I did was take your cranberry bliss cookie base, omitted the cranberries, then did the bliss bar frosting/toppings on the cookies. INCREDIBLE! Great way to combine two great recipes.
The best thing I am making for the holidays is sour cream and rum raisin pie! I am also making your salted peanut chews :)
Yum, this sounds delicious! I might have to make it between holiday get-together (as if there aren’t enough sweets in my house right now)! I’m doing lots of homemade gifts this year, and although I’m partial to my candied chocolate-dipped oranges, everyone is loving the chocolate peppermint candies that melt in your mouth and taste like peppermint ganache!
Cookies, cookies, and more cookies! Although I may have to fit this cake into the eating schedule too. :)
Considering the last time I made tacos they turned out to be tostadas, I head over to my parents’ place to eat and help make cocktails! I like making a gin and ginger ale with cranberry juice and garnished with gorgeous red cranberries.
This cake looks so delicious!
Rachael xx.
theteacozykitchen.blogspot.co.uk
Lots of homemade cookies!
Cookies…so many cookies. Right now I’m into the Oatmeal varieties and last night I made your Oatmeal, Peanut Butter and White Chip…ooohhh so yummy. Thanks for all of the great recipes!
I make Cornbread Dressing and Banana Nut Bread for Christmas. I leave the big stuff (turkey, ham) to others.
I will be making cookies with my girls and then we make ham or Turkey for Christmas ?. I make lots of different verities on Russian food and we sit down to eat. After that we have hot cocoa and watch the Christmas story. ????? ????⛄️❄️?