Introduction
Indulge your sweet tooth with the rich and decadent Chocolate Caramel Cake — a heavenly fusion of velvety chocolate and buttery caramel that will leave you craving for more. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or simply a treat for yourself, this cake is guaranteed to impress. With layers of moist chocolate sponge, drizzled with gooey caramel and finished with a luxurious chocolate-caramel frosting, this dessert is the ultimate comfort food for any occasion.
The History
While the exact origin of the Chocolate Caramel Cake isn’t well-documented, its components have deep roots in culinary history. Chocolate has been cherished since ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, where it was consumed as a bitter beverage. Caramel, on the other hand, has European origins, dating back to the 17th century when sugar was first being refined. The combination of chocolate and caramel became popular in the early 20th century, especially in confectionery like candy bars, and eventually made its way into baked desserts like this cake.
Ingredients Breakdown
This Chocolate Caramel Cake is made up of three main components: the chocolate sponge layers, the salted caramel sauce, and the chocolate-caramel frosting. Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients:
- Chocolate Sponge: All-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, milk, oil, hot coffee, vanilla extract
- Salted Caramel Sauce: Granulated sugar, heavy cream, unsalted butter, sea salt, vanilla extract
- Chocolate-Caramel Frosting: Butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream or milk, salted caramel sauce, vanilla extract, semisweet chocolate (melted and cooled)
Step-by-Step Recipe
1. Prepare the Chocolate Sponge Layers
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 1 ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.
- Add 1 ½ cups sugar, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup milk, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ tsp vanilla extract, and ½ cup hot brewed coffee. Mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.
2. Make the Salted Caramel Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until it melts and turns golden brown.
- Remove from heat and carefully stir in ½ cup heavy cream (it will bubble up), ¼ cup unsalted butter, ½ tsp sea salt, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Let it cool to room temperature before using. Store any extra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
3. Prepare the Chocolate-Caramel Frosting
- Beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 4 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup cocoa powder, 2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp vanilla extract until smooth.
- Fold in ¾ cup of the salted caramel sauce and mix until well combined.
- Add ½ cup cooled melted semisweet chocolate and mix until incorporated and smooth.
4. Assemble the Cake
- Place one cooled chocolate layer on a cake board or serving plate. Drizzle 2–3 tbsp of caramel sauce over the top.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and place the second layer on top.
- Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining chocolate-caramel frosting. Drizzle additional caramel sauce over the top for decoration.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving to set the frosting and caramel.
Tips
- To prevent the caramel from burning, keep a close eye on it and stir constantly during the melting process.
- If the frosting seems too thick, add more cream or milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- For even cake layers, use a kitchen scale to divide the batter evenly between the pans.
- Let the cake layers cool completely before assembling to avoid melting the frosting.
- For a smoother finish, use a bench scraper or cake smoother to smooth the frosting on the sides.
Variations and Customizations
- Gluten-Free Option: Replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Dairy-Free Option: Use almond milk instead of regular milk, coconut oil instead of butter, and dairy-free chocolate and cream.
- Nutty Twist: Add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for added crunch.
- Layer It Up: Bake a third layer and make it a triple-layer cake for a more impressive presentation.
- Spiced Version: Add ½ tsp cinnamon or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the batter for a warm, spicy kick.
- Coffee Infusion: Enhance the chocolate flavor by using espresso instead of regular coffee in the batter.
Health Considerations and Nutritional Value
While this Chocolate Caramel Cake is a rich dessert, it’s best enjoyed in moderation. A typical slice contains approximately 600–700 calories, depending on portion size and ingredient choices. It’s high in sugar and saturated fat due to the caramel and buttercream frosting. However, you can make healthier adjustments:
- Use coconut sugar instead of regular sugar for a lower glycemic index.
- Replace some of the oil with unsweetened applesauce to reduce fat content.
- Opt for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids for more antioxidants and less sugar.
- Use low-fat Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream in the caramel sauce to cut calories and add protein.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Sponge:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot brewed coffee
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate-Caramel Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup salted caramel sauce (plus extra for drizzling)
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
Directions
- Make the Chocolate Sponge: Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another. Mix until smooth and pour into greased 8-inch round pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 minutes. Cool completely.
- Prepare the Caramel Sauce: Heat sugar until golden brown, then whisk in cream, butter, salt, and vanilla. Let cool.
- Create the Frosting: Beat butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cream, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in caramel sauce and melted chocolate.
- Assemble the Cake: Layer cooled sponges with caramel drizzle and frosting. Frost the entire cake and drizzle extra caramel on top
