Chocolate Caramel Dream Cake

Well, I'm off from work for a couple weeks until I start my new job at a home health care agency so why not spend my mini vacation baking and visiting my sister and her family! My sister, Bakeaholic Mama, always teaches me great tips and baking "hacks" every time I go down to visit her. Everything from cracking an egg the right way, not creaming butter with a whisk, and fixing collapsed meringue. I always have a habit of doing everything the hardest, most inconvenient way.

I am the messiest baker of all time. My sisters kitchen yesterday was covered in cocoa powder and chocolate batter. I even found some batter stuck to my butt. Apparently I sat in it at some point yesterday. Not only was I there trashing her kitchen, my 4 year old niece, Maddie, was doing "experiments" with melted chocolate, chocolate milk and sprinkles. I'm sure you can imagine the disaster the two of us created.

I decided to make a Chocolate Caramel Cake for National Chocolate Cake Day! This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart's Dark Chocolate Cake recipe. The cake came out dense and in my opinion wasn't moist enough or chocolaty enough. My husband on the other hand loved this cake! The frosting was by far the best part! You cannot go wrong with Meringue Buttercream! it has the best velvety texture.

I definitely think this recipe needed more buttermilk and maybe some melted chocolate in it for a moister crumb and richer flavor. Overall, I had a great day making it and who doesn't like chocolate cake? It's freaking chocolate! I know my adorable niece and sister had fun helping me in the kitchen too!

Chocolate Caramel Dream Cake
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart and Bakeaholic Mama

Cake Ingredients:

1. Cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2. 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa 3. 2 cups King Arthur Cake Flour 4. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 5. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 6. 1/2 teaspoon salt 7. 1 tbs Buttershots Liqueur 7. 1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 8. 2 large eggs, 2 large yolks, room temperature

Chocolate Meringue Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

5 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup buttershot liquore 1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 cups dark chocolate melted 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature

Caramel Ingredients: 

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, dust with cocoa, tapping out extra left in pan. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a large bowl cream butter together sugar. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, mixing well. Mix in chocolate and Buttershots Liquore. Add flour mixture in three parts and buttermilk in two, mixing until smooth. 

3. Divide batter between pans. Smooth the top with offset spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for about 15 minutes and then run a knife around the edge of the pans then put cakes on drying rack to cool completely.

For the frosting:

1 . place sugars, Buttershot Liquore, and salt in a small sauce pan, heat until it comes to a low boil and all the sugars have dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Whip egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks. Slowly drizzle in the sugar Buttershots syrup while whipping on medium high speed. Continue whipping until you form stiff shiny peaks. Melt chocolate chips and cool to room temperature.

3. Cut butter into small pieces and drop in one piece at a time while whipping on medium high speed. Once all the butter has been added, continue to whip until it is fluffy and smooth. It should be thick and stick to the beaters.

4. Gently fold in cooled chocolate into buttercream

For the caramel:

1. heat sugar, sale and butter on low heat until it reaches the soft ball stage 
2. Remove from heat, mix in the vanilla bean, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. 
3. Whisk in heavy cream until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Assembly: 

1. Level cakes so they are flat on the tops and bottoms, spread one layer (about a 1/4-1/2 inch thick) across the top of one of the layers. Place second layer on the top. Frost the entire cake, using all of the frosting.
2. Pour cooled caramel over the center of the cake, using a spoon to guide it to drip down the sides.
3. Pipe frosting around the edge of the cake top with chocolate sprinkles.