Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: Chocolate cake

• Pecans – 120g
• All-purpose flour – 170g
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – 40g
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Baking powder – 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil – 90ml
• Sugar – 150g
• Eggs – 4
• Vanilla – 1 tsp
• Sour cream – 190g
• Semi-sweet chocolate – 120g

Ingredients: Caramel sauce

• Sugar – 150g
• Hot water – 30ml
• Whipping cream – 90g
• Unsalted butter (Room temp.) – 22g
• Vanilla – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp

Ingredients: Cream cheese frosting

• Cream cheese (Room temp.) – 250g
• Icing sugar – 30g
• Caramel sauce – 45g

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Rich Homemade Caramel Sauce

• Place 40g of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir. Heat until the sugar melts completely and turns a deep, dark brown color.
• Once the sugar is bubbling, carefully add the hot water. Stand back, as the syrup may bubble and splash. Stir until incorporated.
• Add the remaining sugar and continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully stir in the whipping cream. Return to the heat and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth.
• Remove from heat again. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Add the room temperature unsalted butter and stir until it has completely melted into the sauce.
• Transfer the finished sauce to a heatproof bowl and set it aside to cool completely.

Toast Pecans and Make the Chocolate Cake

• Preheat your oven to 150∘C (300∘F). Spread the pecans in a single layer on a baking tray. Toast for 15 minutes.
• Chop the pecans while they are still warm and set them aside. Increase the oven temperature to 180∘C (350∘F) for the cake.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
• Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave or over a bain-marie (double boiler) and set it aside to cool slightly.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the vegetable oil and sugar until the mixture is light and smooth.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Mix in the vanilla and sour cream.
• Add the cooled melted chocolate to the batter and mix until combined.
• Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• Fold in the chopped pecans.
• Pour the chocolate cake batter into an 8-inch round baking pan. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Whip up the Cream Cheese Frosting and Assemble

• In a mixing bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese and icing sugar until the frosting is smooth and lump-free.
• Beat in 45g of the cooled caramel sauce until fully incorporated.
• Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the cooled cake horizontally into two equal layers.
• Place the first cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting over the cake. Spread caramel sauce over the frosting.
• Top with the second cake layer.
• Decorate the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the cream cheese frosting and drizzle generously with the remaining caramel sauce for a beautiful finish.
• Refrigerate the cake for about 2 hours to allow the frosting and caramel to set.

Serve a slice of this magnificent Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake and watch it disappear! Enjoy!