Caramel Butterscotch Pound Cake

This Caramel Butterscotch Cake is rich, gooey, and unbelievably easy—made with a boxed mix and a caramel-butterscotch twist that tastes bakery-level. Perfect for fall gatherings, church socials, and holiday dessert tables.

Baking with Coconut Pecan Frosting

It finally happened. I nearly ran myself out of canned coconut pecan frosting. 

For weeks now I’ve been creating recipes using frosting in the batter. It all started when my friend Carol told me about her German Chocolate Pound Cake. From there, I made a similar cake, only with Butter Pecan Cake Mix. 

Things went a little crazy after that. I’ve almost lost track of the recipes I created. I vaguely remember some luscious German Chocolate bars that were brownie-like in consistency. 

Oh, right. . .and there was the most amazing Lemon Loaf, which (if I do say so myself) was probably the most delicious cake I’ve ever baked. 

But there sat that final canister of coconut pecan frosting, just begging me to use it. 

But, how? 

Coming up Original Recipes can be Fun!

As is often the case, I rummaged through my baking supplies to see what I had on hand. I had an idea that butterscotch might pair nicely with the frosting, but (after an intensive search) realized I only had about a cup. 

I had planned to use a full cup in the batter (melted - more about that in a moment) and another half cup in the glaze. But with only a little more than a cup to work with, that was off. 

So, I came up with the idea to merge the butterscotch with some caramel for the glaze. My thinking? The canister of coconut pecan frosting was rich with caramel, so the interior of the cake would already have a caramel component. Now the glaze could, as well. 

I know from experience that there are subtle differences between caramel and butterscotch, but they're both similar and work beautifully together. So, I had a feeling this one would definitely work out. . .and I was right

Mad Scientist at Work in the Kitchen!

I’ll be honest: there are days when I feel like a scientist in the kitchen. I’d already baked on recipe today, (Almond Joy cookie bars, which started with a box of chocolate cake mix). 

In other words, my need to experiment should have already been satisfied for one day. But, if you know me, you know I’m never satisfied. When I get an itch to bake something, well. . .bake, I must! 

So, off to the kitchen I went with the following ingredients, my heart set on Caramel Butterscotch cake. 

Caramel Butterscotch Cake Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand. 

• golden butter cake
• butterscotch chips
• butter (salted or unsalted butter, your choice)
• large eggs
• coconut pecan frosting
• whole milk
• pecans (optional)

Before we go on, let me tackle the elephant in the room - the coconut and pecans in the frosting. If you’re not a fan of those, you can substitute a can of caramel frosting in place of the coconut pecan. That way you still get the caramel flavor but without the added crunchy elements. 

BUTTERSCOTCH GLAZE

• butterscotch chips
• caramel chips
• butter
• powdered sugar
• milk or heavy cream

How to Make this Rich Caramel Butterscotch Cake

This is such a simple one, y’all! It starts with a box of cake mix, like so many of my other recipes! 

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Prepare a bundt pan with baking spray. 

Place four eggs in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.) Mix the eggs for several seconds at low speed until they’re completely broken down. 

Place milk in microwave-safe bowl. Add chopped butter. 

Microwave until butter is melted. Stir well. 

Add 1 cup butterscotch chips and stir well until completely melted. 

Slowly add butterscotch milk to the eggs, a little at a time, with mixer running. 

Place mixer on medium speed and beat for a couple of minutes until it all comes together. 

Now it’s time to add the cake mix. Slowly mix it in and then add the frosting, mixing lightly. 

I added a cup of chopped pecans at this point. I figured these flavors just called for more. But you can skip them if you like. There are already some finely chopped ones in the coconut pecan frosting. 

Mix well.

Pour batter into prepared bundt cake pan. You don’t want to over-fill the pan because this cake will expand somewhat. If you’re left with too much batter use it to make a couple of cupcakes or a mini cake.

Scrape down the edges of your mixing bowl with a rubber spatula so you don't leave any cake batter behind.  

Place in preheated oven on center rack and bake for 50 - 55 minutes. Cooking time may vary, depending on your oven.

I checked on mine at the 30 minute mark and was kind of surprised to see the pan was full to the top! My other frosting-in-the-recipe cakes don’t make quite as much. I think the addition of the butterscotch made a slightly larger batch. Oops! 

You’ll know your cake is fully baked when it springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean. 

Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. I love my Wilton cooling racks!

Leave for 15-20 minutes until you can handle the bundt pan. 

Turn out the cake and leave it to continue to cool on the wire rack. 

Make your glaze

While your cake is cooling, make your glaze. 

Place butterscotch chips, caramel chips, milk, and butter in a microwave safe bowl.

Melt in 30-second increments to ensure the chips don’t seize up. 

Allow to cool, then mix in powdered sugar until you get the consistency you like. 

Place a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper under the cooling rack to catch any excess glaze.

Drizzle glaze over the top of the cake while it’s still slightly warm. 

It might take more than one coating because it thins with time. (This is why it's important to work with a cooled cake.)

Slice and serve! 

Store leftover at room temperature in an airtight container (or wrap in plastic wrap). Cake can be refrigerated if you like, but make sure it’s not exposed to the air. 

This cake can be frozen up to two months if tightly wrapped.

What to Expect from this Caramel Butterscotch cake

I'm a big fan of pound cakes and this caramel bundt cake is no exception.

This is a rich, decadent cake, loaded with flavor. It has that same caramelly goodness you'd get from a cake made with dark brown sugar.

And while you can taste the butterscotch flavor, it's not overwhelming. (That's my one complaint about butterscotch. . .it's often too strong for my liking.) Not in this cake, though! It's perfectly balanced.

The combination of the caramel, butterscotch, and coconut pecan pie filling gives this a moist crumb, one that is packed full of texture and yummy unexpected flavors.

I can't say enough about this one, folks. I only wish I'd thought of it sooner!

Variations on this Easy Recipe

Here are some fun ways to mix this one up: 

Don’t have a golden butter cake? No worries! Just use a yellow cake, instead. 

Not a fan of the coconut or pecans? As I mentioned above, you can use a canister of caramel frosting in its place. This will add more moisture to the cake, so you might need to trim back a bit on the milk or eggs, if you choose this route. 

Butterscotch pudding: To make this cake even richer you can add a box of instant butterscotch pudding.

Sour cream: Looking for a bit more twang? Simple! Swap out the milk for a cup of sour cream! Talk about a rich flavor!

Pure vanilla extract: You can add up to two teaspoons to enhance the flavors if you like.

Caramel sauce: If you don't want to use the caramel butterscotch glaze you can always pour a bit of caramel sauce over this warm cake before serving. (I just recently learned how to make caramel sauce from canned sweetened condensed milk. . .and it's delicious! Look for that recipe soon.)

Butterscotch sauce: If you love butterscotch by itself, you can always make your glaze out of butterscotch chips, skipping the caramel.

Other Fun Bundt Cakes from Out of the Box Baking

Easy Black Forest Bundt Cake: If you love the flavors of chocolate and cherries you’re going to adore this easy Black Forest Bundt Cake. It’s one of the simplest cakes you’ll ever make and best of all it starts with a box of cake mix.

Butter Pecan Bundt Cake: If you’re crazy about brown butter and pecans you’re going to love this easy cake. It’s topped with a crunchy praline topping and rich with flavor. Best of all, it starts with a boxed mix! Easy-breezy!

Easy Peach Cake with Caramel Glaze: If you love the flavor of fresh peaches and caramel you will love this easy bundt cake! It comes together in minutes and starts with a box of cake mix.

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That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this easy butterscotch bundt cake recipe. This was my first time making it but it certainly won't be my last!

If you're a fan of butterscotch you might want to check out this Easy Butterscotch Pecan Cookies from Southern Home Express.

While you're here, why not pin some pictures?

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