Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cake

5 from 1 rating

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cake

This chocolate and salted caramel cake is made with moist chocolate cake layers and filled with fluffy caramel buttercream and a buttery caramel filling.

Prep Time30

Cook Time24

Additional Time1

Total Time1 54

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Calories: 621kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour 260g
2 cups granulated sugar 400g
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 75g
2 tsp baking powder 8g
1 1/2 tsp baking soda 9g
1 tsp instant coffee or espresso, optional
1 tsp fine salt 6g
1 cup water, warm 240g
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 240g
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil 110g
2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Homemade Salted Caramel Filling

2 cups granulated sugar 400g
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 170g
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 120g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 454g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
7 cups powdered sugar 904g or 2 lb. bag
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g
1/2 cup caramel filling, room temperature (made above) 160g
1 cup dark chocolate, melted - to be added later 175g

Garnish

Flaky sea salt, for decorating

Instructions

Chocolate Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line 3 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper rounds and spray the sides of the pans with non-stick cooking spray or baking spray. If you don't have 3 cake pans, the batter can sit at room temperature while the first layer(s) bake. Bake as many layers at a time as you can.
Sift or whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp fine salt, and 1 tsp instant espresso or coffee (optional) in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a separate, large bowl, add 1 cup warm water, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they're just combined, and the batter is smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (about 475g per pan if you're making 3 layers) and bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
Place the cake pans into the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. This helps lock in the steam and makes the layers extra moist. If you don't have room in the freezer, place the cake pans on a wire rack and let them cool fully before removing them.
Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers. These cake layers bake up pretty flat, so leveling them is optional, but I like to level them with a serrated knife to make the cake easier to fill and frost.
If you make these cake layers in advance and freeze them, let them thaw for about 15 minutes before making the cake. The cake layers should still be slightly cold to the touch, which will make it easier to assemble the cake.

Homemade Salted Caramel Filling

Make the caramel while the cake layers bake and cool. This can be made up to 2 weeks in advance.
Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Once the pan has warmed up, pour in 2 cups of sugar gradually, adding 1/4 cup at a time. Stir as needed with a rubber spatula. Wait until the sugar is mostly dissolved, then add in the next bit of sugar. As the sugar melts, it will gradually deepen in color.
Stir occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved and has become an amber color, then turn off the heat.
Slowly mix in 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of room temperature butter (2 Tbsp at a time), then stir in 1/2 cup of room temperature heavy cream and 1/2 tsp salt. If these aren't at room temperature, they can cause the sugar to seize and make it more difficult to mix together.
Note: sometimes the butter also has a hard time incorporating into the sugar if it's been cooked a bit too long or at too high a heat! If this happens to you, you may want to turn the heat down a bit the next time you make it or use a heavier-bottomed pan that can help the sugar cook more evenly. But don't worry! You can gradually stir the butter into the caramel as it cools, and it should incorporate back together.
The mixture will be thin but will thicken as it cools. Pour into a separate container, then set aside to cool.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

While the cake layers and caramel cool, make the buttercream frosting. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 2 cups of butter on a medium-high speed for 1 minute with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed until the ingredients are incorporated.
Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Then mix in 1/2 cup of homemade caramel (made above). Wait to add the melted dark chocolate until the cake has been assembled.
Mix on low until the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting seems too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
Place about 1 cup of the caramel buttercream into a large piping bag and cut an opening about 3/4-inch at the base of the bag. Cover the remaining frosting with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and set aside.

Assembling this Chocolate Caramel Cake

When you're ready to assemble the cake, stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of buttercream to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
Spread an even layer of caramel buttercream on top of the cake layer. Then pipe a buttercream ring around the edge and drizzle slightly less than half of the remaining caramel on top of the buttercream (I like to save a little caramel to drizzle on top of the cake). If the caramel has firmed up as it's cooled off, heat it in 10-second intervals in the microwave until it becomes more fluid.
Repeat with the remaining cake layers. Flip the top cake layer upside down to make the cake easier to frost and minimize crumbing.
Once the layers are stacked, chill the cake in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes to prevent the layers from sliding.
While the cake chills, mix 1 cup of dark chocolate that's been melted and cooled for about 10 minutes into the remaining buttercream.
Remove the cake from the fridge or freezer and cover it in a thick layer of chocolate caramel buttercream. Use a large offset spatula or the back of a spoon to give the frosting a textured look, then drizzle any remaining caramel on top of the cake, add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and enjoy.

Notes

Substitutions and Swaps

If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please check out the section on ingredient substitutions in the post above.

Making this Chocolate Caramel Cake in Different Sizes

One batch of batter is about 1450g, so I add roughly 475g to each of my cake pans when using 3, 8-inch cake pans.

You can also use one batch of batter to make 2, 9-inch cake layers or 4, 6-inch cake layers. Bake time will be a few minutes longer at 350°F/175°C.

If you want to make a tiered cake with this recipe, check out my cake batter calculator to see how many batches of batter you'll need.

If you want to make cupcakes, this recipe can be used to make about 3 dozen cupcakes. Fill the liners 3/4 full and bake at 350°F/175°C for 18-21 minutes.

My Tips for Making the Chocolate Caramel Cake

Ingredients at room temperature mix together better! Be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Mix your cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. This makes sure each pan has the same amount of batter and will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!

Making This Chocolate Caramel Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

I highly recommend making the components of this cake in stages. It breaks the process up and makes it so much more approachable!

The cake layers can be made in advance and frozen. They taste just as great when they're frozen as when they're fresh, I promise!

You can make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for 3 months.

Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month. The buttercream locks in the moisture and keeps the cake fresh and delicious!

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

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