Sunday Dessert - Chocolate Salted Caramel Layer Cake

We had company for dinner last night. I know, I know. When do we NOT have company for dinner on the weekend? Honestly I don't remember the last weekend we've been alone. But that's all good because it gives me a chance to bake up a storm, a sugar storm to be exact.

This week I made this delicious, scrumptious, too yummy cake which I found in the Bakefest brochure that came with my Canadian Living last week.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Layer Cake

Not for the faint of heart, this cake is packed with chocolaty, caramel sweetness with a kick of fleur de sel salt sprinkled on top. Salted caramel seems to be a new foodie trend. If you've never tried it, the next time you bite into a sweet caramel just sprinkle some salt on top. Delicious. The salt seems to bring out the vanilla and smokiness of the caramel. And paired with a good chocolate cake, it made for a perfect dessert on a cool wet October night.

it was so good, I couldn't get my fork out of it to take this picture. Yum. Make it the next time you have a crowd to feed as it easily serves 10-12. We had slivers, literally slivers and it was more than enough cake.



Here's the recipe:

CAKE:

2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk*
2 tbsp instant coffee granules
3/4 cup hot water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans. (I always dust my pans with cocoa if I'm making a chocolate cake - that way you don't get white all over your chocolate cake.) 
Beat the sugar and butter till fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, add vanilla. Stir flour with cocoa, baking soda and salt; beat into butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, in two additions.
Dissolve coffee in hot water and gradually beat into batter till smooth.
Divide batter into pans.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool on racks for 15 minutes. Turn out and then cool completely before frosting.

*If you don't have buttermilk and I never do, you can make your own by mixing in 1 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice into milk - it works just as well and then you're not stuck with a whole container of buttermilk at the back of your fridge.
FROSTING:

3/4 granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

Don't get freaked out because you have to make your own caramel sauce. It's really quite easy - sugar, water and whipping cream.

Mound the sugar into the centre of a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat. Add water, cover and bring to a boil (don't stir it at this point). Uncover and cook, swirling pan often, until the sugar mixture turns a nice amber colour. Remove from the heat. Being careful not to burn yourself (this stuff is HOT), slowly whisk the whipping cream into the sugar mixture until smooth, add vanilla. Cool to room temperature. As much as you want to, don't stick your finger in the hot mixture. This stuff burns. Believe me, I know, I have the scars to prove it.

2 cups salted butter
3 cups icing sugar
1 cup Chipits Skor Toffee Bits
1/2 tsp gourmet salt such as fleur de sel (sea salt)

Beat the butter until fluffy, beat in all but 2 tbsp of the caramel sauce. On low speed, add the icing sugar gradually, increase the speed and beat until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Frost between the layers and all over the cake, swirl the top decoratively (like your mom did). Gently press the toffee bits evenly onto the sides of the cake. Drizzle the top with the reserved caramel and sprinkle with salt to garnish.

Now get out a pair of stretch waist pants, sit back with a good cup of coffee and indulge. It's worth the effort AND the calories.