Made with toasted nuts and brown sugar, this southern caramel pound cake is both simple to make and Scrumptious.
I really think you’ll love this Caramel Nut Pound Cake. It has a delicious, warm, toasty fall flavor and is simple to prepare. This will be perfect for all your autumn entertaining.
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Caramel Cake Recipe With Condensed Milk
Several years ago I ran across a recipe for “crockpot caramel”, where you literally make caramel from condensed milk in a crockpot. I tried it, loved it and have used it in baking (and eating straight from the can) over the past several years.
Recently, it occurred to me this would be good incorporated in a classic pound cake recipe with brown sugar and nuts. So, I pulled up this simple condensed milk pound cake recipe to use as a reference, made some changes and viola, this super delicious, nutty brown sugar caramel pound cake.
This is a wonderful cake with amazing old fashion cake flavor. However, it’s what I call an adult cake, because it’s not overly sweet.
The caramel flavor in this cake is subtle. It blends in delightfully with the toasted nuts and brown sugar. The melody of these three flavors creates a delicious toasty, fall taste.
Even though this might not be the kiddo’s favorite cake, I hope you will make it. It’s simple to make and the adults in your life will be so glad you did.
Caramel pound cake ingregients
- Butter – for best results use real butter.
- Brown Sugar – you can use white granulated or a combination of brown and white sugar.
- 14oz Can Crock Pot Caramel – instructions on how to make it below.
- Eggs- for best results use room temperature.
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Vanilla Extract
- Toasted Walnuts or Pecans- instructions on toasting nuts below.
Tools found on amazon to help make caramel pound cake
- Cake Cooling Rack – Perfect for cooling your pound or bundt cakes or any round cake.
- Solid Sturdy Spatula – For stirring and scrapping thick pound cake batter.
- Bundt Pan Cleaning Tool – A must have for someone who uses bundts. Gets into those pesky, hard to clean crevices.
How Do You Make Caramel Cake From Scratch?
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease or spray a bundt or tube pan.
- Cream butter and sugar together and add caramel and eggs.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add mixture to batter.
- Add vanilla and fold in toasted nuts.
- Pour batter in prepared pan and bake 1hr and 10 minutes to 1hr and 20 minutes.
- Let cool 20 to 30 minutes.
Recommended pans for this recipe
How to make caramel from sweetened condensed milk in crock pot
Any size crock pot will do.
- Place a can of condensed milk in the crockpot.
- Fill the crockpot with water until it covers the can.
- Put the temperature on low and cook for 8 – 10 hours. 10 hours if you like dark caramel.
- When done let caramel sit in the water until cool.
- If you remove immediately when done cooking, do so with tongs. It will be hot.
- Let it cool completely before using in recipe.
How to toast nuts for baking
Toasting the nuts exponentially brings out the flavor of the nuts. It draws the natural oils to the surface, which enhances the rich flavor of the nuts.
Here are three methods to toast your nuts, which I found in this post on toasting nuts from The Spruce Eats.
- The Skillet Method
- In a skillet cook over medium heat in a even layer.
- Shake the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Consistently turn the nuts until they are brown and fragrant.
- Move them to a plate to cool as soon as they are browned and done.
- The Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 350 and place nuts in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, periodically stirring and turning.
- When done move nuts to a plate.
- The Microwave Method
- Put one cup of nuts on a plate.
- Microwave 3 to 4 minutes, uncovered.
- They will not be browned, but should have the nutty smell and taste.
HOW TO KEEP NUTS FROM SINKING IN A CAKE
How many of us have made a cake with nuts and all the nuts sunk to the bottom? The cake is still good, but it’s just not a sexy look and it would be better if the nuts were dispersed evenly.
Here’s how to prevent that:
- Place the nuts in a zippered bag or sealed container with one to two tablespoons of flour.
- Shake the bag or container so the flour lightly covers the nuts.
- Fold the nuts in last, just before you put the cake in the oven.
This works in any type of cake. The flour helps suspend the nuts in the batter while it bakes.
How to preserve a pound cake
FREEZE IT!!!!!
A huge attribute of pound cakes is they freeze so well. At least 4 to 6 months. In fact, I believe pound cakes are tastier after serving freezer time.
To freeze the cake or a portion of the cake:
- Cool the cake completely
- Wrap the cake 2 or 3 times in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.
- Put in large freezer storage bag if the cake is not to large.
To freeze in slices:
- You can wrap your slices individually in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Then place them in a freezer storage bag or container.
- You can also slice the cake and put slices of parchment paper between the slices. Then wrap the sliced cake just like wrapping the whole cake or portion of the cake above.
Final thoughts on this brown sugar caramel pound cake recipe
A lovely cake for the fall or anytime of year. Again, it’s not overly sweet, but the melody of the brown sugar and nuts mixed in with the dense texture of a pound cake is delicious anytime.
In case you have any queries regarding the recipe feel free to reach out via the comment section or the contact page. Also, if you have tried this recipe, I would love to hear about your experiences.
I have linked to our related recipes below and I’m sure you will love them.
More simple pound cake recipes
- Homemade Chocolate Pound Cake.
- Southern Living Sweet Potato Pound Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake
- Old Fashion Brown Sugar Pound Cake
BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL POUND CAKE RECIPE WITH NUTS
Equipment
- Crockpot
- Bundt or Tube Pan
- Stand or Hand Mixer
Ingredients
Crockpot Caramel Ingredients
- 1 14oz can Condensed Milk
Pound Cake Ingredients
- 1¼ cups Butter or 2½ Sticks Room Temperature
- 2½ cups Brown Sugar
- 1 14oz. can Crockpot Caramel
- 6 Eggs Room Temperature
- 3½ cups Flour
- 1½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla
- 1½ cups Toasted Walnuts or Pecans Toast The Nuts (see notes below on toasting nuts)
Instructions
Crockpot Caramel Instructions
- Place the can of condensed milk in the crockpot. You can even leave the labels on.
- Fill the crockpot with water until it completely covers the can.
- Put the crockpot on low and cook for 8 – 10 hours. 10 hours if you like dark caramel.
- When done let caramel sit in the water until it cools or remove with tongs. It will be hot
- If you remove the caramel while it's hot, let it sit 30 minutes before opening. Spare yourself a 3rd degree burn.
Pound Cake Instructions
- Preheat over to 350°
- Beat butter and sugar together until smooth.
- Add caramel until well blended.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add one cup at a time and beat well after each addition..
- Add vanilla and mix well.
- Fold in toasted nuts.
- Pour batter in greased tube or bundt pan and bake for 1hr and 10 minutes to 1hr and 20 minutes. I put aluminum foil over the top of my cake the last 20 to 30 minutes to prevent the crust from getting to dark.
- Let cake cool 20 to 30 minutes and release.
Notes
- The Skillet MethodÂ
- In a skillet cook over medium heat in a even layer. Â
- Shake the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Consistently turn the nuts until they are brown and fragrant.
- Move them to a plate to cool as soon as they are browned and done.
- The Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 350 and place nuts in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, periodically stirring and turning.
- When done move nuts to a plate.
- The Microwave Method
- Put one cup of nuts on a plate.
- Microwave 3 to 4 minutes, uncovered.
- They will not be browned, but should have the nutty smell and taste.