Brownstone Front Cake

Rich and chocolatey with caramel cooked from scratch, this Brownstone Fruit Cake is an old Southern favorite you’ll bake for generations.
Brownstone Front Cake

YaYa’s Brownstone Front Cake

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Brownstone Front Cake is a rich chocolate cake with deep flavor from cocoa, sour milk, and vanilla. It’s layered with a slow-simmered caramel icing made from butter, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. This is one of those classic Southern recipes that folks remember from holiday dinners and church socials, and it’s every bit as delicious as it is nostalgic.
Meal Type: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern American
Keyword: chocolate cake, caramel icing, vintage dessert, old fashioned cake, family recipe, Southern baking, holiday cake
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 Slices
Calories 475

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 c. butter or shortening
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 3 eggs well beaten
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 c. sour milk
  • 2 tsp. soda
  • 1 c. water boiling
  • 3 T. cocoa
  • 3 c. flour
  • 1 tsp. salt

Carmel Icing

  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 c. sugar brown + white
  • 1 small can evaporated milk or ⅔ cup

Instructions

Cake

  • Cream butter or shortening and sugar together.
  • Add eggs and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, mix cocoa and boiling water until cocoa is melted. Let cool.
  • Mix baking soda with sour milk, then pour into cocoa mixture.
  • Gradually add flour and salt to the wet mixture, stirring until well combined.
  • Grease and flour a tube pan or 3 layer pans.
  • Bake the loaf cake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or layers for 45 minutes at 350°F.

Caramel Icing

  • Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
  • Simmer for 1 hour.
  • Beat until thick.
  • If not thick enough, add powdered sugar to reach desired consistency.

Yaya’s Tips for Success

This old-fashioned chocolate cake has been in our family longer than I’ve been cooking, and that says a lot! It’s rich and full of deep cocoa flavor with the tang of sour milk and a whisper of vanilla. The caramel icing is cooked low and slow till it’s thick enough to hold between layers. This one’s perfect for the holidays, but you don’t need a reason to bake something this good.

  • Use real cocoa and let it cool slightly after mixing with boiling water
  • Sour milk adds a special tang so don’t substitute unless you absolutely have to
  • Watch your icing as it simmers and stir it often and beat until thick
  • If the icing doesn’t set, a little powdered sugar will fix it right up
  • Best served in three layers to show off that icing between each bite

Yaya’s Customization Ideas

  • You can toss in a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the caramel icing if you like a little crunch.
  • This also pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a strong cup of coffee.
  • Try topping it with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a modern twist on that caramel finish.
  • If you’re in a rush, this recipe also bakes nicely as a sheet cake with the icing poured warm right on top.

You might also enjoy our Double Chocolate Pound Cake or the Gingerbread recipe for more vintage Southern sweets.

Yaya’s Original Recipe Card

Brownstone Front Cake Recipe Card

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