Golden Key Dulce de Leche Cake (Super Moist & Bakery Style)
This Golden Key Dulce de Leche Cake is incredibly soft, moist, and filled with rich caramel flavor. The layers are tender, light, and perfectly paired with a creamy dulce de leche frosting that tastes like it came straight from a bakery.
In my country, this cake became known as “Golden Key” because of its rich golden caramel color and classic dulce de leche flavor. It’s one of those nostalgic cakes many families grew up making for birthdays, holidays, and special gatherings.
Why You’ll Love This Golden Key Dulce de Leche Cake
- Soft, tall sponge that never dries out
- Light, creamy frosting that’s not overly sweet
- Chopped walnuts add the perfect texture
- Works for any celebration — even weddings
- Can be served just 1 hour after assembling
- Perfect make-ahead cake
If you love rich caramel desserts, make sure to try some of my other favorite recipes too. My homemade Waffle Rolls with Dulce de Leche Buttercream are always a family favorite, especially with coffee or tea. You’ll also love my Thick Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies for the perfect bakery-style treat at home.
For special occasions, I highly recommend trying my Honey Cake Thin Layers with Raspberry and Napoleon Cake with Pistachio Cream and Raspberries Cake. Both cakes taste absolutely incredible with this dulce de leche cream filling from .Moist Caramel Sponge Cake with Dulce de Leche Cream recipe. The creamy caramel flavor pairs perfectly with the delicate layers and creates a rich, nostalgic dessert that everyone loves.
Many of these recipes have been made in my family for years and are the kind of desserts that always disappear fast at holidays and gatherings.
MORE CAKES RECIPES THAT ALWAYS WORK:
Time Overview for Golden Key Dulce de Leche Cake
- Prep time: 40 minutes
- Bake time: 50-60 minutes
- Cooling & assembly: 40–60 minutes
- Total time: about 2.5 hours
Kitchen Tools for Moist Caramel Sponge Cake with Dulce de Leche Cream
- 8-inch round cake pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
- Piping bag (recommended)
- Piping tips (for decoration)
- Cake Scraper
- Cake Spatula
- Syrup bottle
- Turntable cake table (optional) ( I use that one already 10 years)
- Cake Slicer
- Kitchen Scale
- Cake Boards (optional)
- Cake box
Ingredients
Caramel Sponge Cake for Golden Key (8-inch / 20 cm pan)
- 6 medium eggs, separated
- 7 oz granulated sugar (200 g)
- 7 oz all-purpose flour (230 g)
- 3.1 oz caramel sauce (90 g)
- 3.1 neutral oil (90 ml)
- 3 Tbsp cold water (50 ml)
- 2 tsp baking powder
Dulce de Leche Cream
- 1 quart heavy whipping cream (950 ml, 33–35%, very cold)
- 1 can dulce de leche (13–14 oz / 380–400 g, thick)
Soaking Syrup
- 1 cup water (240 ml)
- 1 tsp caramel sauce or dulce de leche
For a sweeter cake, simply add more caramel or dulce de leche to the syrup.
Add-ins & Decoration
- 1½–2 cups chopped walnuts
Any cream problem? Here is how to fix it:
Step-by-Step Instructions for Golden Key cake
Make the Sponge Cake
- First, preheat the oven to 330°F (165°C) on Bake. Line the bottom of an 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Next, beat the egg whites slightly add sugar until glossy and fluffy. The peaks should be soft but stable.
3. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the caramel sauce until smooth and creamy.
4. Then, add the oil and cold water to the yolk mixture and mix until fully combined.
5. After that, whisk the flour and baking powder together. Add the dry ingredients to the yolk mixture and mix until smooth.
6. Now, combine the whipped egg whites with the yolk batter. You can fold by hand or mix briefly on low speed. Work gently and do not overmix.
7. Finally, pour the batter into the pan with parchment paper.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes on Bake.
If your oven allows, switch to Convection at the same temperature for the 25-30 minutes more minutes to finish baking evenly, or continue stay on Bake mode.
TOTAL 50-60 minutes in the oven.
9. Cool the cake completely, before remove from the pan.
Make the Dulce de Leche Cream
- First, add the cold heavy cream and dulce de leche to the mixing bowl at the same time.
- Then, start mixing on low speed until smooth.
- Next, gradually increase the speed and whip until firm, smooth peaks form.
The cream should stay light, stable, and easy to pipe.
Prepare the Soaking Syrup
- First, mix the water with caramel sauce or dulce de leche until smooth.
- Then, taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
This step keeps the cake extra moist and tender.
Assemble the Cake
- First, slice the chilled sponge into 3 even layers.
- Next, place the first layer on a serving plate or cake board and brush generously with soaking syrup.
- Then, spread cream on top ( in about 1/2 inch tall) and sprinkle chopped walnuts evenly. you can alwas add some more caramel or dolce de leche between layers.
- After that, repeat with the second layer, syrup, cream, and walnuts.
- Finally, place the last layer on top, soak lightly, frost the cake, and decorate with remaining walnuts.
Refrigerate for 1–2 hours before serving.
Finishing the cake
- You can crumb coat the cake with cake scraper right away, using the same cream you used for the filling, applying a thin.
Alternatively (and this is recommended for best results), wrap the assembled cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight.
2. Once chilled, apply a thin final layer of cream for a smoother finish. (See the video for detailed steps.)
3. For decoration, pipe simple swirls on top using the same cream and finish with a sprinkle of chopped nuts. Optional: add some drizzles of caramel on top or caramel drips (dulce de leche + caramel )
You also may lake dolce de leche (caramel) recipe:
Make-Ahead Tip (Very Important)
If you don’t need the cake urgently, this method works best:
- Wrap the baked sponge tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight
- Transfer the cream to a piping bag, seal it completely airtight, and refrigerate
This keeps the cream thick and stable, not watery.
The next day, you can easily assemble and decorate the cake with perfect results.
Storage Tips
- Store the finished cake in a cake box in the refrigerator
- This prevents the cream from drying out
- The cake keeps well for up to 3 days
Serving Suggestions
Serve chilled with coffee or tea.
Because this cake is soft, moist, and stable, it works beautifully for upper tiers of wedding cakes.
If the cake is well soaked, it can be served just 1 hour after assembly. No one will ever guess it was made so quickly.
Final Note
This is a true signature cake — soft, juicy, and dependable.
Once you make it, you’ll come back to it for years.
Caramel Sponge Cake with Dulce de Leche Cream and Walnuts ( 2 hours cake recipe)
Ingredients
Method
- First, preheat the oven to 330°F (165°C) on Bake. Line the bottom of an 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Next, beat the egg whites slightly add sugar until glossy and fluffy. The peaks should be soft but stable.
- Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the caramel sauce until smooth and creamy.
- Then, add the oil and cold water to the yolk mixture and mix until fully combined.
- After that, whisk the flour and baking powder together. Add the dry ingredients to the yolk mixture and mix until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the yolk mixture
- Now, combine the whipped egg whites with the yolk batter. You can fold by hand or mix briefly on low speed. Work gently and do not overmix.
- Finally, pour the batter into the pan with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes on Bake.
- If your oven allows, switch to Convection at the same temperature for the 25-30 minutes more minutes to finish baking evenly, or continue stay on Bake mode.
- TOTAL 50-60 minutes in the oven.
- Cool the cake completely, before remove from the pan.
- First, add the cold heavy cream and dulce de leche to the mixing bowl at the same time.
- Then, start mixing on low speed until smooth.
- Next, gradually increase the speed and whip until firm, smooth peaks form.
- The cream should stay light, stable, and easy to pipe.
- First, mix the water with caramel sauce or dulce de leche until smooth.
- Then, taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
- This step keeps the cake extra moist and tender.
- First, slice the chilled sponge into 3 even layers.
- Next, place the first layer on a serving plate or cake board and brush generously with soaking syrup.
- Then, spread cream on top ( in about 1/2 inch tall) and sprinkle chopped walnuts evenly.
- After that, repeat with the second layer, syrup, cream, and walnuts.
- Finally, place the last layer on top, soak lightly, frost the cake, and decorate with remaining walnuts.
- Refrigerate for 1–2 hours before serving.
- You can crumb coat the cake with cake scraper right away, using the same cream you used for the filling, applying a thin.
- Alternatively (and this is recommended for best results), wrap the assembled cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight.
- Once chilled, apply a thin final layer of cream for a smoother finish. (See the video for detailed steps.)
- For decoration, pipe simple swirls on top using the same cream and finish with a sprinkle of chopped nuts.
Thank you< Natalia for the recipe! guests was impressed!