Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Brown-Sugar Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream Frosting 3.2 (196) 13 Reviews By Martha Stewart Editors Martha Stewart Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Website An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want. The joy is in the doing. Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 16, 2019 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Francesco Lagnese Prep Time: 1 hrs Total Time: 4 hrs Yield: 10 to 12 Serves This cake is even sweeter when embellished with handmade marzipan animal figures -- which aren't too hard to make if you have the patience. Ingredients 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans 3 cups cake flour, plus more for pans 2 cups packed dark-brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 6 large eggs 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt 8 ounces sour cream ½ teaspoon baking soda Caramel Buttercream Frosting for Brown-Sugar Layer Cake Marzipan Animals Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment. Butter paper, and flour pans. Beat together butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together flour and salt. In another bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture and starting and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter between pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans, about 30 minutes. Invert cakes, remove pans and parchment, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Trim tops of cakes with a serrated knife to make level, then cut each cake in half horizontally. Reserve 1 bottom layer for another use. Place remaining bottom layer on a cake stand, and spread evenly with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Repeat with a second layer and another 1 1/4 cups frosting. Place third layer on top. Spread entire cake top and sides with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Refrigerate cake until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread with 1 1/2 cups frosting, smoothing top and sides. Serve immediately with marzipan animals, or refrigerate up to 2 days; if refrigerated, let cake come to room temperature before serving. Print