Description
A decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake layered with rich Salted Caramel Buttercream, luscious Salted Caramel sauce, and smooth Dark Chocolate Ganache. Perfect for special occasions, this cake blends intense cocoa flavors with the sweet-salty depth of caramel and velvety chocolate to create a mouthwatering dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Fudge Cake
- 200g butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup Dutch processed cocoa
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 teaspoons vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups plain cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda
Salted Caramel
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 180g butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt flakes
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 300g dark chocolate
- 350ml heavy cream
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 375g butter, room temperature
- 3 cups sifted icing sugar
- 1 1/2 cups salted caramel (from the salted caramel sauce recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease, flour, and line two 20cm (8 inch) cake pans with baking paper to prevent sticking.
- Make Cake Batter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter, caster sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix Cocoa Paste: In a separate bowl, mix Dutch processed cocoa with the hot water gradually to form a smooth, thick paste.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the cocoa paste into the butter mixture and blend well. Mix vinegar into the milk to sour it.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate soda in another bowl.
- Incorporate Flour and Milk: Alternately add the sifted flour and soured milk to the butter mixture in three parts, starting and ending with the flour. Fold gently until fully incorporated without overmixing.
- Bake Cake Layers: Divide the batter equally to pour a quarter into each cake tin and bake for 23 minutes. Let cool in the tins for 10-15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Prepare the pans again and bake the remaining batter the same way.
- Make Salted Caramel Sauce: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt caster and brown sugars over medium heat, stirring occasionally until smooth. Add butter and whisk until melted and incorporated. Remove from heat; slowly add heavy cream while stirring. Return to heat and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat again, stir in salt flakes, and allow to cool before use.
- Prepare Dark Chocolate Ganache: Melt dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until fully melted. Add heavy cream and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly until pourable but not hot.
- Make Salted Caramel Buttercream: Beat butter until light and pale. Gradually sift in icing sugar and beat thoroughly. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cooled salted caramel sauce and beat until smooth. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to firm the buttercream slightly for piping.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a cake plate or baking paper. Using a large piping bag with an open tip, pipe a border of large buttercream kisses around the edge. Fill the center with buttercream, then spoon on a generous layer of salted caramel sauce. Repeat layering with the remaining cakes, alternating caramel sauce and dark chocolate ganache.
- Finish and Serve: Top the final layer with more piped buttercream kisses. Pour the dark chocolate ganache over the top, encouraging it to drip down the sides using a spatula. Allow to set slightly, then serve and enjoy this indulgent dessert.
Notes
- Use Dutch processed cocoa for a richer, smoother chocolate flavor in the cake.
- When mixing the batter, fold gently to keep the cake light and tender.
- If you don’t have vinegar, lemon juice can be a substitute to sour the milk.
- Ensure the salted caramel sauce is fully cooled before mixing into the buttercream to avoid melting the butter.
- To get sharp edges on the cake layers, chill them before assembling if desired.
- Microwave melting of chocolate must be done carefully to prevent burning; stir well between intervals.
- For a more intense salted caramel flavor, increase salt flakes slightly but avoid over-salting.
- Store the cake refrigerated if not serving immediately, bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 42 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
