Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake. Made with a homemade salted caramel sauce! Perfectly moist chocolate cake layered between rich and fluffy caramel buttercream!
This Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake is adapted from my reader favorite The Best Chocolate Cake. It is seriously the best chocolate cake I have ever had! It’s super moist, rich and chocolatey.
I frost the cake with an amazing salted caramel buttercream made with homemade caramel sauce. To top it off I spread on a generous amount of chocolate ganache on top! Yum!
For the salted caramel I used my recipe for easy 4 ingredient caramel sauce! Store-bought can be used as well! You can always make the caramel sauce ahead of time. It lasts for a month in the fridge!
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How to make Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven: To 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 inch round cake pans and set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients: Start by combining flour, both sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: With a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix in milk, oil, eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Make batter: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low. Pour in the hot coffee (Batter will be thin)
- Bake: Divide between two 9 inch round cake pans and bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool for 15-30 minutes in the pan before inverting and placing on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost: When you are ready to assemble the cake place 1 layer of the chocolate cake on a cake platter or serving plate. Top with some of the salted caramel buttercream and spread to the edges of the cake. Place the remaining cake layer on top and frost the rest of the cake including the sides. Drizzle with chocolate ganache and place in the fridge to set for 30 minutes then enjoy!
- Serve: with a tall glass of milk or with a side of ice cream (my favorite!)
- Store: At room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days or up to 5 days in the fridge!
How to make homemade salted caramel sauce
Add all of the ingredients except for the vanilla and salt to a saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat until thickened stirring occasionally. About 8 minutes. If the sauce isn’t getting a lot thicker turn up the heat a bit and keep and eye on it making sure to whisk constantly. (The sauce will thicken as it cools in the refrigerator). Stir in vanilla and salt. Take off the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan. Transfer to a container and place in the refrigerator to firm up and cool.
Can this be made into cupcakes?
Yes! To make chocolate cupcakes instead bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean aside from a few crumbs.
Can you freeze the cake?
Yes! This cake can be frosted or unfrosted and frozen for up to 3 months. Just thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before enjoying.
For an ultra soft and moist cake I add in hot coffee which amplifies the chocolate flavor and adds a nice silkiness to the batter. After I add the hot coffee I turn the mixer to the highest speed and whip the batter for a minute. This helps to get any last clumps as well as adds air to the batter.
Enjoy this cake for any special occasion or just because!
Here are more delicious cake recipes to try!
- The BEST Chocolate Cake
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake
- Easy Everyday Chocolate Cake
- Gooey Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Double Chocolate Loaf Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup strong hot coffee
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 stick plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cubed and softened
- 1/4 cup salted caramel sauce
Instructions
Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Butter & flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl combine flour, both sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- With a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add in milk, oil, eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low.
- Pour in the hot coffee (Batter will be thin). Beat on high speed for 1 minute to add air to the batter and to get out any clumps.
- Divide between the prepared pans and bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting.
- When you are ready to assemble the cake place 1 layer of the chocolate cake on a cake platter or serving plate. Top with some of the salted caramel buttercream and spread to the edges of the cake.
- Place the remaining cake layer on top and frost the whole cake.
- Drizzle with chocolate ganache and place in the fridge to set for 30 minutes then enjoy!
Salted Caramel Sauce
- Add all of the ingredients except for the vanilla and salt to a saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat until thickened stirring occasionally. About 8 minutes. If the sauce isn't getting a lot thicker turn up the heat a bit and keep and eye on it making sure to whisk constantly. (The sauce will thicken as it cools in the refrigerator).
- Stir in vanilla and salt.
- Take off the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan. Transfer to a container and place in the refrigerator to firm up and cool.
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- Add egg whites and brown sugar to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk until combined.
- Place the bowl from the stand mixer over a hot water bath and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy and the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Place the bowl of the stand mixer back and whip on med-high until it is stiff and cooled, about 5 minutes.
- Switch to the paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
- Pour in caramel sauce and beat until combined. Set aside until you are ready to frost your cake.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I'd love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don't forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Kristen Tinker
I made this yesterday for my husband’s 49th birthday. It was yummy…a total hit! Thank you!
Alexia Caprio
I made this cake and I was very pleased, my only complaint is that the photo they chose does not match the actual cake. The buttercream is not white, it’s brown just like caramel is supposed to be. Previously to making this id thought it would be an eye catching white creamy caramel buttercream, which was not the case. Please change the photo u have selected to the actual cake or change the recipe so people will not be disappointed while baking.
Sarah
Cake wouldn’t cook through. You sure on your wet vs dry ratios?
Kelley
Sorry to hear that Sarah! I would try cooking a bit longer then. They ratios are correct.
Thanks!
Kelley
Jennifer Hebert
Kelley I just made this for my husband as practice for my moms birthday cake. I divided ingredients in half to make only one cake as a test run. Once cooked it rose more in the centre which would be hard to stack with two unless I sliced off top. Should I have let it rest prior to putting in oven so it was more level.
Thks
Jennifer Hebert
Kelley
I made this cake as a test run for the final caken for my moms birthday. I had split the ingredients in half to just make one cake. The cake rose too much in centre. Should I have let it rest prior to putting in oven? The flatness of cake is desired in order to stack.
Otherwise a very simple recipe.
Kelley
Hi Jennifer!
I would try checking the oven temperature sometimes when the oven is too hot this can happen. I would reduce oven temperature 25 degrees or calibrate your oven to make sure it’s the right temperature.
Let me know if that helps!
Kelley
Shannon May
Hullo, this might be a tricky question to answer ?, so if your not sure don’t worry but thought I would try. Im from Scotland so our flour is self raising, do I still need to add the baking powder and baking soda, if the flour we have will rise without those ingredients? Or are those ingredients for another use in the cake batter? Like i say if you don’t know its all good, the cake sounds delicious so dont want to bake it wrong.
Kelley
Hi Shannon!
I think if your flour is self rising I think it should be fine to omit that baking powder and baking soda.
Let me know how you make out! Thank you!
Kelley
Laura
I hate to be that idiot, but it always makes me sad when I get to the end of the instructions and it says “drizzle with [something you weren’t told was part of the recipe]. What chocolate ganache do you recommend making?
Nathan
Hi Laura,
Here is an easy chocolate ganache recipe that I’ve used in the past.
https://chefsavvy.com/easy-everyday-chocolate-cake/
I hope you enjoy!
Nathan
@Chefsavvy
Colin
It really does rise ridiculously high in the middle and does not taste that good. Not a good recipe.
Kyersten
Just made this. Followed the recipe to the letter and although we have not eaten the cake yet, the icing amd caramel sauce are to die for!
My cakes turned out perfect and it looks fabulous!
I cannot wait until after dinner to taste it all put together! Mmmmmm
Nathan
Hi Kyersten,
I hope you enjoy the cake! Thank you so much for commenting and for trying it out!
Nathan
Kyersten
Absoulutley delicious!! A hit! Cake was miost amd flavorful, buttercream icing a perfect sweet/salty. And stunning presentation. I will make this again
Jennings
When the recipe calls for sugar- is it powdered sugar or granulated (inexperienced baker ??♀️ Lol)
Kelley Simmons
Hi!
The recipe calls for granulated sugar in the cake and light brown sugar in the caramel sauce and buttercream frosting.
Thanks & Enjoy!
Kelley
marcia helmken
why do we make so much caramel when you only use 1/4 a cup caramel sauce.
Kelley Simmons
Hi Marcia,
You can use store bought caramel sauce if you prefer. It’s hard to make a small batch of caramel sauce. You can also cut the recipe in half if you prefer.
Hope this helps! Thank you!
Kelley