Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

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Delicious slice of Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake on a plate, topped with caramel drizzle.

This Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake is soft and super tasty! If you like chocolate and caramel, you’ll really LOVE this cake. It’s made with rich cocoa and sweet caramel sauce.

And if you love caramel, you should also try these caramel brownies, banana pudding with caramel, or this caramel cheesecake. Every time I eat this cake, I remember why it’s my top pick.

Ingredients List:

For the Chocolate Cake:

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (ensure it’s 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 (room temperature)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil as an alternative)
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/2 cups hot water

For the Salted Caramel Chocolate Frosting:

  • 2 cups unsalted butter (4 sticks, 16 ounces, ensure it’s VERY soft)
  • 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream (add more if needed)
  • 2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce

How to Make Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake:

1. For the Chocolate Cake:

  1. Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350°(F). Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans by lining them with parchment paper cutouts. Generously spray the sides and bottom of each pan with nonstick cooking spray. After placing the parchment paper, spray again to ensure the cakes won’t stick.
  2. Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are well combined.
  3. Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, milk, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  4. Combine: Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. Once incorporated, slowly pour in the hot water and continue mixing until the batter is smooth. Note: The batter will be thin.
  5. Baking: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Check for doneness using a toothpick – it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Once baked, allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.

2. For the Chocolate Frosting:

  1. Butter Creaming: In a stand mixer, cream the softened butter on medium speed until it’s completely smooth, which should take about 3 minutes.
  2. Adding Sugar and Cocoa: Turn off the mixer and sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Start the mixer on low speed and mix until the sugar and cocoa are fully absorbed by the butter.
  3. Final Touches: Increase the mixer speed to medium and add in the vanilla extract, salt, heavy cream, and salted caramel. Beat the mixture for another 3 minutes until it’s smooth and creamy. Adjust the consistency if needed by adding more confectioners’ sugar or heavy cream.

3. Assembling Our Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake:

  1. Leveling: With a serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes to create even surfaces.
  2. Layering: Place one cake layer on a large plate or cake stand. Spread a thin layer of the chocolate frosting on top, followed by a drizzle of 1/2 cup of caramel. Repeat this process with the remaining layers.
  3. Setting: After adding the final cake layer, refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour to set.
  4. Final Frosting: Once set, frost the top and sides of the cake. For a finishing touch, sprinkle some sea salt on top.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake: FAQs and Common Issues

Can I use regular milk instead of whole milk?

es, you can use regular milk, but whole milk provides a richer texture and flavor to the cake. If you’re in a pinch, any milk variety should work, but the texture might vary slightly.

My cake turned out dry. What did I do wrong?

There could be a few reasons for this:
Overbaking: Ensure you’re checking the cake for doneness around the 30-minute mark.
Packed Flour: When measuring flour, ensure it’s not packed. Use the spoon and level method for accuracy.
Oven Temperature: Sometimes ovens run hotter than the temperature set. Consider using an oven thermometer to ensure accuracy.

The frosting seems too thick/thin. How can I adjust it?

If the frosting is too thick, you can add more heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s too thin, gradually add more sifted confectioners’ sugar until it thickens.

My cake layers didn’t rise evenly. How can I avoid this in the future?

Uneven rising can be due to uneven oven temperature or placing the cake pans too close together. Ensure your oven is preheated properly and try to position the cake pans in the center with enough space around them for even heat distribution.

Can I use store-bought caramel sauce?

While homemade caramel sauce is recommended for its rich flavor, store-bought can be used as a time-saving alternative. Just ensure it’s of good quality for the best taste.

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