• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Mummy Too

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Dietary
  • Holidays
    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Dietary
    • Holidays
    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
  • ×

    Home » Cake recipes

    By Emily Leary. Last updated May 26, 2022. Green links are Amazon links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Millionaire shortbread cake recipe

    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe

    This millionaire shortbread cake recipe takes a classic sweet treat and converts it from biscuit to sponge cake!

    a slice of Millionaire shortbread cake on a white plate with the full cake in the background.

    You still get the rich chocolate and smooth caramel layers, but with vanilla cake instead of shortbread biscuit!

    The result is so impossible delicious, I can't believe it isn't a common dessert everywhere. Honestly, the combination of flavours and textures is out of this world.

    To make this recipe, you'll start by making the caramel, which involves popping condensed milk, brown sugar and butter in a bowl and microwaving! It's a surprisingly effective way to get a really lovely, thick caramel that sets perfectly on the cake.

    For the chocolate ganache, it's purely case of heating cream and vanilla in the microwave and then adding some chocolate, stirring until smooth!

    a slice of Millionaire shortbread cake on a white plate with  a fork cutting off the front point and the full cake in the background.

    To make the sponge, you'll whisk butter and sugar, then beat in eggs, vanilla and milk before folding in self-raising flour. And that's your batter made! You'll then bake it low and slow for an hour to give a nice, neat rise that's perfect for slicing into two layers.

    And finally, you'll layer everything up: cake, caramel, ganache, cake, caramel, ganache, with that final layer of chocolatey goodness covering the whole cake. Divine!

    Here's the full recipe for my millionaire shortbread cake recipe. I've included lots of images to help you at every stage of the process.

    Ingredients

    For the caramel

    • 100 g (3.5 oz) slightly salted butter
    • 100 g (7 tbsp) soft light brown sugar
    • 400 g (14 oz) condensed milk

    For the vanilla sponge

    • 250 g (2 sticks + 1 tbsp) slightly salted butter
    • 250 g (1⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
    • 4 medium free range eggs
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 4 tbsp whole milk
    • 250 g (1⅔ cups) white self raising flour (self rising flour)

    For the milk chocolate ganache

    • 300 ml (1¼ cup) double cream (heavy cream)
    • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
    • 150 g (5.5 oz) dark chocolate (bittersweet)
    • 150 g (5.5 oz) milk chocolate

    Equipment

    • Weighing scales
    • 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin
    • Baking paper
    • Large mixing bowls
    • Whisk
    • Silicone spatula
    • Sharp serrated knife

    Instructions

    Make the caramel

    You can begin cooking the caramel once the cakes are in the oven.

    Put the butter, light soft brown sugar and condensed milk in a large, heat proof bowl.

    butter, light soft brown sugar and condensed milk in a large bowl.

    Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes to melt everything together. Stir, then continue the heat and stir for 3 further 2 minute blasts (to a total of 8 minutes). Be extremely careful and use oven gloves and care when handling the bowl as the caramel will bubble and reach almost 120C (250F). Stir by reaching the silicon spatula into the microwave if possible and safe to do so so that you can avoid moving the bowl any more than necessary.

    When you've finished cooking the caramel, leave it in the microwave to cool. It will thicken as it cools.

    caramel cooling in a large clear bowl surrounded by ingredients.

    Make the sponge

    Grease and double line a tall 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin.

    Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 350F).

    Put the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl.

    butter and white sugar in a large clear bowl surrounded by ingredients.

    Whisk together until pale.

    whisked butter and white sugar in a large clear bowl surrounded by ingredients.

    Add the eggs, vanilla and milk.

    whisked butter and white sugar in a large clear bowl surrounded by ingredients topped with 4 eggs.

    Whisk again

    whisked cake batter in a large clear bowl surrounded by ingredients.

    Sift in the flour.

    whisked cake batter in a large clear bowl topped with flour surrounded by ingredients.

    Fold together.

    cake batter mixture in a large clear bowl surrounded by ingredients.

    Spoon into the lined tin and level off.

    cake batter in a lined round cake tin surrounded by ingredients.

    Bake for 1 hour minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin until safe to touch, then release onto a wire rack to cool completely.

    baked round plain sponge cake on a wire cooling rack.

    Make the milk chocolate ganache

    While the cakes are cooling, you can make the ganache. 

    Put the cream and vanilla in a heatproof bowl.

    cream and vanilla in a heatproof bowl surrounded by ingredients.

    Heat in the microwave in 30 second blasts until almost boiling. 

    Add the chopped milk chocolate.

    cream and vanilla in a heatproof bowl topped with chocolate chips surrounded by ingredients.

    Allow to stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and silky. 

    chocolate creamy ganache in a large clear bowl surrounded by ingredients.

    Assemble the cake

    Important note: when assembling the cake, if the ganache or caramel are at all warm, they will be too loose to work with, so let them cool. Likewise, if they become too cool, they will be too stiff to work with. You can loosen them by placing them in the microwave for a few seconds, but do so very sparingly as they can easily become too warm again and melt.

    Cut the cake into two halves using a sharp serrated knife.

    Place the bottom cake half on a board, cut side up.

    plain sponge cake on a wooden chopping board.

    Top with a third of the caramel.

    plain sponge cake on a wooden chopping board topped with caramel.

    Spoon one quarter of the ganache on top.

    plain sponge cake on a wooden chopping board topped with caramel and chocolate ganache.

    Put the second cake half on top, cut side down.

    plain sponge cake on a wooden chopping board topped with caramel and chocolate ganache and another layer of cake.

    Spoon another layer of caramel on top, this time more generously - you might not need it all. 

    Millionaires sponge cake topped with caramel on a wooden chopping board.

    Spoon the remaining ganache onto the cake and spread all over the top and sides to cover the cake.

    Millionaires sponge cake topped with chocolate ganache on a wooden chopping board.

    To serve, allow to set for at least an hour, then cut the cake into slices with a sharp, serrated knife.

    a slice of millionaires shortbread on a white plate with a fork at the front.

    Print this millionaire shortbread cake recipe

    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Millionaire Shortbread Cake Recipe

    This millionaire shortbread cake recipe takes a classic sweet treat and converts it from biscuit to sponge cake! So you still get the rich chocolate and smooth caramel layers, but with vanilla cake instead of shortbread biscuit!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 15 mins
    Course: Desserts and sweet treats
    Cuisine: Australian
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Servings: 16 slices
    Author: Emily Leary

    Ingredients

    For the caramel

    • 100 g (3.5 oz) slightly salted butter
    • 100 g (7 tbsp) soft light brown sugar
    • 400 g (14 oz) condensed milk

    For the vanilla sponge

    • 250 g (2 sticks + 1 tbsp) slightly salted butter
    • 250 g (1⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
    • 4 medium free range eggs
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 4 tbsp whole milk
    • 250 g (1⅔ cups) white self raising flour (self rising flour)

    For the milk chocolate ganache

    • 300 ml (1¼ cup) double cream (heavy cream)
    • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
    • 150 g (5.5 oz) dark chocolate (bittersweet)
    • 150 g (5.5 oz) milk chocolate

    Equipment

    • Weighing scales
    • 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin
    • Baking paper
    • Large mixing bowls
    • Whisk
    • Silicone spatula
    • Sharp serrated knife

    Instructions

    Make the caramel

    • You can begin cooking the caramel once the cakes are in the oven.
    • Put the butter, light soft brown sugar and condensed milk in a large, heat proof bowl.
    • Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes to melt everything together. Stir, then continue the heat and stir for 3 further 2 minute blasts (to a total of 8 minutes). Be extremely careful and use oven gloves and care when handling the bowl as the caramel will bubble and reach almost 120C (250F). Stir by reaching the silicon spatula into the microwave if possible and safe to do so so that you can avoid moving the bowl any more than necessary.
    • When you've finished cooking the caramel, leave it in the microwave to cool. It will thicken as it cools.

    Make the sponge

    • Grease and double line a tall 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin.
    • Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 350F).
    • Put the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until pale.
    • Add the eggs, vanilla and milk and whisk again
    • Sift in the flour then fold together.
    • Spoon into the lined tin and level off.
    • Bake for 1 hour minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin until safe to touch, then release onto a wire rack to cool completely.

    Make the milk chocolate ganache

    • While the cakes are cooling, you can make the ganache.
    • Put the cream and vanilla in a heatproof bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second blasts until almost boiling.
    • Add the chopped milk chocolate and allow to stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and silky.

    Assemble the cake

    • Important note: when assembling the cake, if the ganache or caramel are at all warm, they will be too loose to work with, so let them cool. Likewise, if they become too cool, they will be too stiff to work with. You can loosen them by placing them in the microwave for a few seconds, but do so very sparingly as they can easily become too warm again and melt.
    • Cut the cake into two halves using a sharp serrated knife.
    • Place the bottom cake half on a board, cut side up.
    • Top with a third of the caramel, then spoon a quarter of the ganache on top.
    • Put the second cake half on top, cut side down.
    • Spoon another layer of caramel on top, this time more generously - you might not need it all.
    • Spoon the remaining ganache onto the cake and spread all over the top and sides to cover the cake.
    • To serve, allow to set for at least an hour, then cut the cake into slices with a sharp, serrated knife.

    Video

    Notes

    Carnation caramel, which is popular in the UK, is not thick enough to be used in place of the homemade caramel in this recipe. However, some brands of caramel / dulce de leche are very thick. If you feel that you have a found a jar of caramel that will hold up to slicing, you can use that in place of the caramel stage.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 952IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg
    * Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Information on this website should not be taken as medical advice. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @amummytoo on Instagram or tag @EmilyLearyCooks on Twitter. I can't wait to see your posts!

    Pin this millionaire shortbread cake recipe

    More caramel recipes to try

    Fudgy Salted Caramel Brownies
    Just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of mixing can give you some of the yummiest, fudgiest, most delicious salted caramel brownies you've ever tasted.
    Get the recipe
    Salted Caramel Cheesecake
    A buttery biscuit base, a layer of sweet and salty caramel, a creamy rich vanilla and white chocolate filling, all topped with an extra drizzle of salted caramel, while caramel popcorn brings the crunch.
    Get the recipe
    Baileys Salted Caramel Mini Chocolate Tarts
    Sweet shortcrust pastry, a layer of salted caramel, creamy Baileys and chocolate ganache, finished with a sprinkle of salt.
    Get the recipe
    Caramel Sandwich Cookies
    These pretty caramel sandwich cookies are super quick and simple to make. They’re great fun to make with the kids – all you need is some basic cookie ingredients, a jar of dulce de leche and some cookie cutters.
    Get the recipe

    6 FUN recipes to make with kids - a FREE family baking eBook!

    Have a free copy of my family baking eBook! With 6 easy recipes and bonus activities to get kids into the kitchen - and keep them busy for hours!

    Grab your copy!
    « Jaffa Cake traybake
    Vegan jam sponge pudding »
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Anonymous says

      February 03, 2012 at 12:23 pm

      Can I ask, at the risk of sounding stupid, what is caramelised evaporated milk? I have only ever seen normal evaporated milk or do you mean I have to do something to it in order to caramelise it? Hope that make sense! I was going to make some shortbread this afternoon but I might have a go at this if I can sort out the milk! x

      Reply
      • Emily says

        February 03, 2012 at 12:29 pm

        Hi - not a stupid question at all! You can buy evaporated milk already caramelised in the tin. They sell it in Tesco and probably other supermarkets. It's sweetened and cooked to about the thickness you need for banoffee pie, so you need to cook it down a bit more for it to be thick enough to set on the biscuit. You can also make the caramel yourself using evaporated milk, golden syrup, butter and sugar - http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/516853 - whichever type you use though, keep the heat low and keep stirring as it burns easily and you'll end up with black bits in it!

        Reply
        • Anonymous says

          February 04, 2012 at 8:59 am

          I found it!!! Bought my three cans last night so I will be baking up a storm this morning after breakfast. I'll tweet you and let you know how I get on! x

          Reply
    2. Thecommunalpantry says

      January 26, 2012 at 11:43 pm

      Can we feature this, please

      Reply
      • Emily says

        January 26, 2012 at 11:47 pm

        Of course! :)

        Reply
    3. Paula says

      January 26, 2012 at 7:22 pm

      Wow that looks yummy!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        January 26, 2012 at 8:05 pm

        Thanks! :) I've eaten far more of it that I intended to - it's dangerously more-ish.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Emily Leary standing in a kitchen

    Emily Leary. Chef. Multi-award-winning food writer, presenter and photographer. Author of bestselling book, "Get Your Kids to Eat Anything".

    [email protected]

    Learn more about Emily

    Emily on social

    © 2022 A Mummy Too - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - How I work with advertisers - Contact