Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

We all know I'm a sucker for cake!

Sponge, carrot, cheese you name it I'll eat it. But chocolate cake just has a special place in my heart. Every year my mum (to this day) ask what type of cake we would like and bless her, she pulls through every year. This year I said "chocolate and salted caramel, go wild" and I think she found the best recipe yet. 

Today I'm sharing my birthday cake from last week thanks to Ashley from Bake by Nature.  Now don't be scared off by the massive amount of ingredients I assure you, you will find most of them in your pantry already. Ok ready to make the worlds best cake? Lets do it! 

You Will Need 

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed 
2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (not packed!)
1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks (at room temperature)
1 and 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream
1/3 cup whole milk 
3/4 cup vegetable oil 
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups hot water

For the salted caramel chocolate frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter
4 and 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons heavy cream 
2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce (there are tones of super easy recipes for this online) 

Method

Preheat oven to 350°(F). Cut out three 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick cooking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. 

 In a separate bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, milk, oil and vanilla extract; mix until completely combined. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and beat on low until just incorporated. Pour in hot water and continue mixing until completely combined; about 1 minute. The batter will quite thin.

Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pan before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack; cool cakes completely before frosting.

For the chocolate frosting:

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter on medium-speed until completely smooth; about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer off and sift the icing sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on the lowest speed and mix until the sugar/cocoa have been absorbed by the butter. Add in vanilla extract, salt, heavy cream and salted caramel; beat for 3 minutes. 

Assembly:

Using a serrated knife, carefully trim the raised top of each cake, making each one an even, level surface. Transfer 1 layer to a large plate or cake stand. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top, then add a 1/2 cup of caramel; top with another cake layer, and repeat, thinly spread it with a layer of frosting, then adding a 1/2 cup of caramel. Top final cake layer and place cake in the fridge to set for 1 hour. Once set, finishing frosting the top and sides of the cake. 

You still with me? Now enjoy a big old piece of cake and have a rest (worry about the clean up later)  😉

Have a wonderful day friends! 

Lou 

xxx