Dulce de Leche Layer Cake

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This dulce de leche layer cake has three moist and fluffy cake layers. In between you have plenty of creamy dulce de leche and crunchy milk crumbs. This cake is full of variety: fluffy, creamy, crunchy, sweet, salty and buttery… absolutely divine!

What is the difference between Caramel and Dulce de Leche?
Dulce de leche is caramelized sweetened condensed milk. It is thicker, creamier and not as sweet as caramel. Dulce de leche also has a lighter color.

I made two different cake bases: a regular cake (15,2cm / 6-inch) with a dulce de leche base and a small cake (7,3cm / 3-inch) with a vanilla base. The rest was identical. This way I wanted to find out if the regular cake might contain too much dulce de leche.
Result: both cakes were delicious.
Conclusion: there is no such thing as too much dulce de leche 🤩.

Tools & Equipment

• 1-2 quarter sheet pans
• 2 strips of acetate (25cm / 10-inch)*
• 2 strips of acetate (51cm / 20-inch)
• Aluminium foil*
• Baking Weights*
• Cake ring 7,6cm / 3-inch*
• Cake ring 15,4cm / 6-inch
• Cooking spray
• Large baking sheet
• Medium bowl
• Parchment paper
• Silicone baking mat*
• Silicone spatula
• Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
• Wire rack

Recipe Tips

Cake Base & Crumbs: prepare the cake base and the crumbs one day in advance, because both have to cool completely before you can use them for the next step in the recipe. Wrap the cake in plastic and put the crumbs in an airtight container, keep both in the fridge until ready to use.

Dulce de Leche: you can find the entire recipe here.

Buttermilk Mix: make sure to add the mix slowly with the mixer running on low speed, to make sure everything is combined properly. This takes a couple of minutes and there should be no streaks of fat or liquid.

Frosting: you can make the frosting the day before and store it in the fridge overnight. But then, you should loosen it up before use. To do so, put the frosting in a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. However, it is less time-consuming if you make the frosting just before assembling the cake.

How to Make a Dulce de Leche Layer Cake

Make the Dulce de Leche Cake

Preheat the oven to 177°C/350°F. Grease a quarter sheet pan, line with parchment and weigh your ingredients.

Combine butter and sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Add dulce de leche and beat on high speed. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time. Combine buttermilk, oil and vanilla and add the mixture slowly on medium speed. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients on very low speed, just until the batter comes together.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Make the Vanilla Cake (optional)

Preheat the oven to 177°C / 350°F. Line a quarter sheet pan with a silicone baking mat and separate it in the middle with aluminium foil. Place baking weights on the non-used side. Weigh your ingredients.

First mix the butter and both sugars on medium-high, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Combine buttermilk, oil and vanilla and add the mixture slowly. In a medium bowl combine cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients with the mixer on very low speed and mix until the batter comes together.

Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Make the Milk Crumbs

Preheat the oven to 121°C /250°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Mix together milk powder, flour, sugar, cornstarch and salt. After that add the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms small clusters. Place the clusters on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Put the crumbs into a medium bowl and add the milk powder. Toss, until the powder is evenly distributed. Melt the white chocolate, pour it over the crumbs and toss until they are completely coated. Continue tossing every 5 minutes until the white chocolate sets and the crumbs are no longer sticky.

Make the Dulce de Leche Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat dulce de leche, butter and salt on a medium-high until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and use immediately or store it in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Assemble the Cake

Put a piece of parchment on your work surface and place the cake onto it. Peel the parchment from the bottom of the cake. Use the cake ring to cut out 2 circles from the cake. Use the remaining cake “scrap” to make the bottom layer.

Clean the cake ring and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Line a strip of acetate on the inside of the cake ring. Arrange the cake scraps inside the ring and form the bottom layer. Spoon half of the milk onto the cake layer and spread one half of the dulce de leche over the cake. 

Distribute one-third of the milk crumbs evenly over the dulce de leche and press them lightly into it with the back of your hand. 

Use the back of a spoon to spread one-third of the frosting as evenly as possible over the crumbs. 

Gently insert the second acetate strip between the cake ring and the top of the first acetate strip. Place a cake round on top of the frosting and repeat the layering: milk, dulce de leche, milk crumbs and dulce de leche frosting.

Place the remaining cake round into the frosting. Spread the rest of the frosting on top and decorate with crumbs. Transfer the cake to the fridge and let it chill for at least 12 hours. 

Remove from the fridge and release the cake from the cake ring. Carefully remove the strips of acetate and place the cake on a plate. Slice and serve.

Storage of the Cake Base, Crumbs, Frosting and assembled Cake

The Cake Base: you can keep the cake base, wrapped in plastic, for up to 5 days in the fridge.
The Crumbs: in an airtight container you can store the crumbs for 1 month in the fridge or freezer.
The Frosting: if you do not use it directly, store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
The assembled Cake: store the cake, wrapped in plastic, in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze the cake for up to 2 weeks. Let it thaw in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

My Summary for Dulce de Leche Layer Cake

Difficulty: intermediate to advanced.
Taste: this layer cake tastes sweet, salty and buttery. It has a nice touch of vanilla. Absolutely delicious!
Texture: the cake has three fluffy layers, in between comes a layer dulce de leche, crunchy milk crumbs and creamy dulce de leche frosting.
PROS: if you like caramel, you will love this cake. It’s also a real eye-catcher if you want to bring something special for e.g. a party.
CONS: preparing this cake is time-consuming, so you should plan ahead. There are a couple of steps necessary before you can assemble the cake and if you are making a layer cake for the first time, it can be a bit of a challenge.