This towering cake is ready for a celebration. It’s filled with delicious salted caramel and finished with a rich, deep chocolate frosting.
Ingreadient
- Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pans
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tablepoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- Coarse salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups low-fat buttermilk
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Coarse salt
- 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- Coarse salt
- 1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled
- Garnish: flaked sea salt, such as Maldon
Direction
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
- Sift flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined.
- Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, 1 1/2 cups warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Divide batter among pans. Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
- Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks, and let cool completely.
- Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is dark amber, about 14 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and carefully pour in cream (mixture will spatter); stir until smooth. Return to heat, and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees, about 2 minutes.
- Pour caramel into a medium bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Let cool completely.
- While caramel is cooling, whisk together cocoa and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water in a bowl until cocoa dissolves.
- Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and a generous pinch of coarse salt in a clean bowl with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and then cocoa mixture until combined. Let stand for 30 minutes before using.
- Trim tops of cakes using a serrated knife to create a level surface. Cut each in half horizontally to form 2 layers.
- Transfer 1 layer to a serving platter, and spread 3/4 cup caramel over top. Top with another cake layer, and repeat with remaining caramel and cake layers, leaving top uncovered. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
- Frost top and sides of cake in a swirling motion. Sprinkle with sea salt.
