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.
marcia helmken
I have the cake baked it smells wonderful. why do we make so much caramel sauce when we only use 1/4 cup of sauce?
Amrita Menon
Hey Kelley!
Just wanted to ask you, is this frosting stable??
Kelley Simmons
Hi Amrita!
Yes this frosting is stable. It is technically a swiss buttercream (flavored with caramel sauce) which holds up at room temperature for up to 2 days in the house.
Thank you!
Kelley
Jocelyn
What tricks do you have for pouring the ganache on and still having the finished cake look great? I poured the ganache on as soon as the pot was taken off the stove and it sort of melted the buttercream and poured right off so I should’ve waited for it to cool down more? I ended up pouring on the whole pot of ganache and while it smells heavenly the drip puddle is huge and doesn’t exactly add to the final presentation. Pour on the ganache somehow so that the excess drips off and then put the cake on a platter to present? How can you tell I’m new to the world of ganache, lol.
Kelley Simmons
Hi Jocelyn,
I am sorry to hear this ganache gave you some trouble! I would recommend letting it cool a bit before adding it to the cake. The longer it sits the thicker it will become and will start to harden. I would let it cool a bit then pour on top. You will still have drip marks and that’s ok!
Hope this helps! Thanks!
Kelley
Carole
I made this cake my weekly challenge for my friend’s Birthday cake. 3 months ago i never would have tackled baking from scratch but now I try to challenge myself each week. This cake is delicious! I just drizzled the caramel sauce over the slated buttercream because the sauce is so yummy! Thank you
Kelley Simmons
Hi Carole,
I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this cake so much! You should be so proud of yourself!
Thanks for making my recipe!
Kelley
Becca
I made this for my sister’s birthday and WOW was it amazing. The cake was moist and chocolatey. The buttercream was silky and light. This might become my new go-to cake!
Kelley Simmons
Yah so happy to hear this! Thanks so much for sharing!