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Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

Deep chocolate layers filled with salted caramel, frosted with salted caramel buttercream and served with extra sauce for pouring. Pipe a dam of buttercream before adding the filling so it stays put.

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Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

What it's made of

Cake layersChocolate Butter Cake Layers Filling between the layersSalted Caramel Filling FrostingSalted Caramel Buttercream Frosting Sauce or drizzleSalted Caramel Sauce
Makes 12 servings Active 1 hr 45 minChill or rest 1 hr 0 minParts 4
Contains milk, egg, wheat (check labels)

Each part is a full recipe as written; the Dessert Builder scales them to fit this layer cake and merges the shopping list. Open it with the button above to adjust servings or swap any part.

Ingredients

Chocolate Butter Cake LayersCake layers · makes 12 slices

  • 1.75 cupsall-purpose flour (220.0 g)
  • 0.75 cupDutch-process cocoa powder (65.0 g)
  • 1.75 cupsgranulated sugar (350.0 g)
  • 1.5 tspbaking soda (8.0 g)
  • 0.75 tspbaking powder (3.0 g)
  • 0.5 tspfine sea salt (3.0 g)
  • 2.0 large eggs (100.0 g)
  • 0.75 cupbuttermilk (180.0 ml)
  • 0.5 cupvegetable oil (120.0 ml)
  • 2.0 tsppure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)
  • 0.75 cuphot strong coffee (180.0 ml)

Salted Caramel FillingFilling between the layers · makes 12 doughnuts

  • 0.75 cupthick caramel sauce, at room temperature (225.0 g)
  • 0.75 cupheavy cream, cold (180.0 ml)
  • 0.5 tspflaky sea salt
  • 1.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)

Salted Caramel Buttercream FrostingFrosting · makes 24 cupcakes

  • 1.0 cupunsalted butter, softened (2 sticks) (227.0 g)
  • 4.0 cupsconfectioners' sugar, sifted (480.0 g)
  • 1.0 tbspheavy cream, plus more as needed (15.0 ml)
  • 0.25 tspfine sea salt
  • 0.333 cupcaramel sauce, room temperature (100.0 g)
  • 0.5 tspflaky sea salt
  • 2.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)

Salted Caramel SauceSauce or drizzle · makes 8 servings

  • 1.0 cupgranulated sugar (200.0 g)
  • 0.25 cupwater (60.0 ml)
  • 0.667 cupheavy cream, warmed (160.0 ml)
  • 3.0 tbspunsalted butter (43.0 g)
  • 1.0 tspflaky sea salt
  • 1.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)

Method

1. Chocolate Butter Cake Layersfull recipe

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8-inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment and butter the paper; dust with flour and tap out the excess.
  2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla, stir into the dry ingredients, then stir in the hot coffee until smooth; the batter is thin.
  4. Divide between the pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
  5. Cool in the pans 15 minutes, run a knife around the edges, turn out onto a rack, peel off the parchment and cool completely before filling.

2. Salted Caramel Fillingfull recipe

  1. Stir the caramel sauce with the vanilla and flaky salt until smooth.
  2. Whip the cream to stiff peaks, then fold in the caramel in two additions; it should stay thick enough to hold a ribbon.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a long filling tip. Poke a small hole in the side of each cooled doughnut and pipe in about 2 tablespoons, until the doughnut feels heavy.

3. Salted Caramel Buttercream Frostingfull recipe

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. With the mixer on low, add the confectioners' sugar and salt about 1 cup at a time, then add the cream, caramel sauce, flaky sea salt, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed for a smooth, spreadable frosting.
  4. Use right away, or cover and keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours; beat briefly before using.

4. Salted Caramel Saucefull recipe

  1. Cook the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling but not stirring, until deep amber, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the warm cream (it bubbles up hard), then the butter.
  3. Stir in the salt and vanilla and cool until thick but pourable.

5. Put it together

  1. Bake the Chocolate Butter Cake Layers and cool the layers completely, at least 1 hour. Level the tops with a serrated knife if they domed.
  2. While the layers cool, make the Salted Caramel Filling and chill it until it holds its shape.
  3. Make the Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting.
  4. Set one layer on the plate. Pipe a ring of frosting around the top edge as a dam, spread the Salted Caramel Filling inside it, then set the second layer on top, bottom side up.
  5. Spread a thin coat of frosting over the whole cake and chill 20 minutes, then frost with the rest.
  6. Serve the Salted Caramel Sauce alongside, or drizzle it over each slice.
  7. Chill until the frosting is firm, then let the cake sit at room temperature 30 minutes before slicing.