Keep everybody happy with this Gluten-Free Caramel Cake. A gorgeously flavourful cake whose caramel notes are enhanced by the use of teff flour and oat flour. It takes no time at all to mix together and is drenched in an easy caramel icing you will find it impossible to resist. Perfect for serving to a crowd or a your very lucky family.
My four and a half year old has just discovered caramel. As such, everything has to be caramel flavoured and this Gluten-Free Caramel Cake was his special request. Gosh was it a good idea. We’ve now made it several times and we are refusing to get tired of it.
This caramel cake is so easy to whip up. Perfect for mini bakers to help out with but it also totally delivers on flavour and texture. It’s one of those everyday cakes that is suitable for any occasion. We have been snacking on it in between meals or with a scoop of peanut butter ice cream for dessert. Oh la, we have been spoilt.
Why is this Gluten-Free Caramel Cake so brilliant?
- The multi-layered caramel flavour is achieved by using brown sugar, oat flour and teff flour.
- It’s not too sweet. Yes there’s tonnes of caramel taste but without the sickly sweetness.
- It takes no more than 15 minutes to mix up the sponge and 35 minutes in the oven. The icing takes 10 minutes. This is a quick cake to make.
- The icing develops a slight crunch on top which gives way to the creamy caramel. Such an amazing contrast to the sponge.
- There is no need to whip up your own caramel (although you are perfectly welcome to), instead use tinned Carnations Caramel or dulce de leche to make the icing super quick.
- You can serve this cake to a crowd or bring to a gathering as it makes lots of delicious little squares of cake.
The Gluten-Free Flour Team
Along with the use of the brown sugar it’s the gluten-free flours which give the cake so much of its caramel flavour. Therefore I wouldn’t really recommend any substitutions here otherwise it would alter the taste of the cake.
- Oat Flour – The butterscotch flavour of the oat flour really brings out the caramel notes of the cake. It’s a light fluffy flour which gives a lovely texture too.
- Teff Flour – This is a lovely pairing with the oat flour, it accentuates the caramel taste whilst also giving its own earthy rich flavour.
- Sweet Rice Flour – This flour is integral to the structure of the cake. Its sticky tendencies keeps the cake together and gives it bounce. Plus its delicate flavour is not overwhelming.
How do you make Gluten-Free Caramel Cake?
- Cream brown sugar and unsalted butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Whisk up oat flour, teff flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder and salt then mix into the rest of the batter.
- Pour into a lined and greased 13×9 inch cake tin and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool before icing.
How do you make caramel icing?
- Warm butter and milk until just beginning to simmer.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in icing sugar, followed by caramel, vanilla extract and salt until smooth.
- Pour over the caramel sponge and leave to set for at least 2 hours.
Baker’s Tips
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature before creaming with the sugar, so remove it from the fridge at least an hour before using (it also depends on how warm your kitchen is).
- Sift the brown sugar before using as it has a tendency to clump.
- Use medium eggs.
- Use a deep large rectangular cake tin.
- Test the cake to make sure it’s fully baked by inserting a cocktail stick, it should come out clean without any moist sponge clinging to it.
- You can use homemade caramel in the icing but tinned Carnations Caramel or dulce de leche is perfect here.
- Store this cake at room temperature in an airtight container. It will keep well for about 3 days before it starts to dry out. I use this rectangular cake container.
- You can freeze this cake with or without the icing, but wait until the cake has completely cooled and the icing totally set. It will keep for at least a couple of months in the freezer.
Variations to Gluten-Free Caramel Cake
- Dark Chocolate Chips! – The intensity of the bittersweet chocolate chips would contrast amazingly well with this caramel cake.
- Swap the caramel icing for a chocolate ganache. Stir together 200g chopped dark chocolate into 150g warm double cream with a pinch of salt until smooth then spread over the cooled caramel cake.
- Add some nuts. Stir in some chopped hazelnuts or pecans into the cake batter before pouring into the cake tin. You could also sprinkle them on top of the caramel.
- Caramel Apple Cake. Dice up some peeled granny smiths and stir through the cake batter before pouring into the cake tin.
Do you love caramel as much as my son, then why not try these recipes:
Cinnamon Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Buttercream
Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Crunch Cups
Banana Rum Caramel Cake
Milk Chocolate Peanut Caramel Brownies
Salted Caramel Chocolate Espresso Cake
Bourbon Sea Salt Caramels
Roast Pork Belly Apple and Caramelised Walnut Salad
If you make this Gluten-Free Caramel Cake then please leave a comment below and/or give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.
Gluten-Free Caramel Cake
Ingredients
- 300 g soft light brown sugar
- 300 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 eggs medium
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 150 g teff flour
- 150 g oat flour
- 120 g sweet rice flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Caramel Icing
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 60 ml whole milk
- 300 g icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 g caramel
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan and line and grease a 13 x 9 inch rectangular cake tin.
- Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time until combined. Then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Whisk the teff flour, oat flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the flour mix to the batter and mix until completely combined.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 35 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes in the tin before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Caramel Icing
- Melt the butter and milk in a small saucepan, stirring together until it starts to simmer gently. Then remove from the heat.
- Whisk in the icing sugar until dissolved.
- Pour in the caramel, vanilla and salt and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the icing over the cake. Then leave to cool and set for a couple of hours before cutting.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature before creaming with the sugar, so remove it from the fridge at least an hour before using (it also depends on how warm your kitchen is).
- Sift the brown sugar before using as it has a tendency to clump.
- Use medium eggs.
- Test the cake to make sure it’s fully baked by inserting a cocktail stick, it should come out clean without any moist sponge clinging to it.
- I use Carnations Caramel but you can use dulce de leche or any thick caramel sauce.
- Icing recipe adapted from Handle The Heat’s Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake.
- Store this cake at room temperature in an airtight container. It will keep well for about 3 days before it starts to dry out.
- You can freeze this cake with or without the icing, but wait until the cake has completely cooled and the icing totally set. It will keep for at least a couple of months in the freezer. Wrap up well in cling film and tin foil then let defrost overnight before unwrapping and icing.
Brilliance Bundt Pan 
Hello, so lovely of you to drop by. I am Georgina. I bake a lot, eat a lot and love writing about my gluten-free kitchen adventures here. I run a gluten-free cake business but am mostly kept busy with my 2 cats, 1 dog, 1 husband, 2 gorgeous sons and twin baby girls.
