Grandma's Butterscotch Cake

Square image of a slice of Butterscotch Cake on white plate.

5 from 1 vote

Grandma's Butterscotch Cake

A deliciously vintage recipe, Grandma's Butterscotch Cake is a light and fluffy cake topped with a smooth and creamy butterscotch frosting. A cake that you won't soon forget.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Cool:1

Total Time1 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: -15

Calories: 545kcal

Author: Tornadough Alli

Ingredients

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅓ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup unsalted butter room temp
1 ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
3 large eggs room temp
¾ cup whole milk room temp
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream room temp

For the frosting:

¾ cup butterscotch chips melted and cooled
¾ cup unsalted butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with baking spray, set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, set aside.
Cream together the butter and dark brown sugar in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until well incorporated and fluffy, scrape down the sides.
Add the eggs one at a time, waiting until the first egg is fully combined until adding the next.
Next add in the milk and vanilla, stir until combined. Scrape down the sides.
Add half of the flour mixture, stir it in until combined.
Add half of the sour cream, stir it in until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and sour cream. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
While the cake cools, make the frosting. Melt the butterscotch chips per the directions on the bag in a small bowl, let it sit out on the counter for about 5 minutes before making the frosting so it isn’t super hot.
Add the butter to a large bowl and whip until smooth with an electric hand mixer.
Mix in the melted butterscotch chips. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully mixed in, scrape down the sides.
Add the vanilla and milk, stir it in. Turn the mixer on to medium-high and whip it for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Once the cake is cooled all the way, top with the frosting and smooth it out. Cut and serve.

Notes

Make sure that you use room temperature ingredients, this is an important step for this recipe.
Dark brown sugar in this cake is preferred for it's flavor, but in a pinch you can substitute it for light, but you will not get the same flavor.
This cake can be frozen, see my tips above.
You can make this in a 9"x13" cake pan or a half sheet pan for thinner slices and more servings, the baking times may vary.
Make sure your cake is completely cooled before frosting.
Let your butterscotch chips cool after melting, they will not harden up but you do not want to add them when they are hot or the frosting won't set up.

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