Chocolate Caramel Cake
This chocolate caramel cake is the perfect fall cake! It is a moist chocolate cake baked in a 9X9 inch pan. It is poked with caramel, topped with chocolate cream cheese frosting, and topped with more caramel!
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 436kcal
Ingredients
Salted Caramel
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 4 TBSP Unsalted butter cubed room temperature
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream room temperature
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Chocolate Cake
- 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 TBSP Cornstarch
- 3/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Oil canola or vegetable
- 1 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 3 Large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup Sour cream room temperature or greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup Buttermilk room temperature
- 3/4 cup Hot water steaming
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar sifted
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Salted Caramel
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the sugar. This is the dry caramel method. Stir until all the sugar crystals are melted. Then, let it sit until it becomes amber in color. That process takes less than 30 seconds so watch it!
- Take off the heat, add half of the butter and mix until melted. It will bubble up a lot. Repeat with the rest of the caramel. Add half of the heavy creamy and mix until combined. Repeat with the rest of the caramel. Add in the vanilla and salt.
- Add the pan back to the heat. Heat for 2 minutes. Mix continuously. This makes sure everything is smooth and it also thickens the caramel.
- Pour caramel into a bowl and cool completely.
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9X9 inch pan with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper ( I used an 8-inch parchment paper circle), and spray again.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, mix the oil, sugar, vanilla, eggs, sour cream and buttermilk. Slowly pour in the hot water and mix it in.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Pour the cake batter into the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cake sit in the hot pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat for 1 minute on high. Scrape the bowl. If any chunks remain, beat on high until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar/cocoa powder. Mix on low speed until just combined. Add in the vanilla and beat on high until smooth.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the dome off the top of the cake. Use the bottom of a wooden spoon handle (anything thin like that) and poke the cake. Go about 2/3rds down.
- Place some caramel in a piping bag and pipe the caramel into the holes. Top the cake with chocolate frosting. Then spoon dollops of caramel on top of the frosting. Use a spoon to swirl it into the frosting.
Notes
Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cake.
High altitude baking- Add an extra 2 TBSP of flour.
Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 606IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg