Rachel's Chocolate Caramel Birthday Cake!

Hi! Stef here! Today is Rachel's birthday and NOW our blog's birthday.

I toyed around with many ideas for Rachel's birthday cake but they ALL included caramel. Rachel is a HUGE fan of caramel.  For my birthday a few months back, Rachel made me a chocolate cake with chocolate chip cookie layers! It was to die for! I obviously needed to return the favor.

The chocolate cake itself is incredible and the caramel buttercream frosting was even better! The chocolate ganche was a little runny on top but that can easily be fixed!

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit's Chocolate Cake with Fleur de Sel Caramel Filling

CAKE

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee
• 
  

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each with parchment paper; butter paper and dust pan with flour.
• Sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Add milk, eggs, and melted butter. Using electric mixer, beat at low speed until blended. Increase speed and beat 2 minutes. Stir 1 cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl to dissolve. Add to batter; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans (about 3 cups each).
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around cakes; turn out onto racks. Peel off parchment and cool completely.

CARAMEL FROSTING

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Large pinch of sea salt

2 sticks butter

3-4 cups powdered sugar

Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in deep medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium; cover pan and cook 4 minutes. Uncover; increase heat to high. Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, occasionally brushing down pan sides with wet pastry brush, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Whisk in butter, then sour cream, and pinch of salt. Cool completely. 
Beat butter with a mixer until smooth and fluffy ( 3-4min). Add powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time. Stir in the caramel. If the consistency of the frosting is not spreadable, add more powdered sugar.

GANACHE TOPPING

• 8 ounces  bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
•  2 tablespoons light corn syrup
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*Melt chocolate and corn syrup in a medium sauce pan. Add cream. Use while still warm.

CAKE ASSEMBLY

Once the cake has cooled, frost the first layer with caramel frosting. Set the next layer on top and frost the rest of the cake with the caramel frosting. Pour warm ganche over the cake.

*  To make the ganache for this cake I warmed the heavy cream and poured it over chocolate chips, but it turned out a little runnier than planned.  I suggest this alternative method, as I have used it successfully before.