Chocolate Cake With Caramel Milk Chocolate Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Put your chocolates in a big bowl. Put the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and bring up to a boil. As soon that happens, stop stirring and let it boil until it turns an amber color, 8 to 10 minutes or so. (If you think that it needs another stir, brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, and stir the entire mixture, picking up the pot itself by the handle, being careful not to touch the caramel or else it could crystallize.) Once the mixture reaches that dark amber color, turn the heat down. Stand back from the pot and add the cream very slowly, stirring with a heatproof spatula. (If you are nervous about the steam, wear a kitchen glove to protect your hand.) Continue to stir until all is incorporated. Once the mixture is smooth, stir in the fine salt. Take off the heat and pour the caramel over the bowl of chocolate. Whisk to combine, making sure all the chocolate melts. Pop in the fridge for about 1 hour until completely chilled.
• Take the frosting out of the fridge and beat it with a hand mixer just until it becomes spreadable. Add the butter in pieces and mix until it's all combined. Pop back into the refrigerator for another hour.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake platter, flat-side up. (You want the cake flat-side up so when you get into it you'll have nice and even layers.) Evenly spread 2 cups of the frosting over the top. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, then put the other cake layer on top, flat-side up. Spread the rest of the frosting over the top and on the sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top with more salt flakes.
• Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (9 by 2-inch) nonstick round cake pans. Line the bottom of each with a round of parchment paper, and then butter the paper.
• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together onto parchment paper. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 4 or 5 minutes. Add your eggs, 1 at a time, mixing until completely incorporated before adding each additional egg. Mix in the chocolate and vanilla, making sure to combine really well. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, in 3 batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Make sure to let it mix thoroughly.
• Pour half the batter in each pan and spread it evenly with a spatula or butter knife. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 25 minutes. Remove the pans to racks and allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes or so. Loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a knife, then turn them onto the racks. Remove the paper and let the cakes completely cool.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans
• For the cake: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in stages with 1 1/3 cups water, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Turn the layers out onto racks that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
• For the caramel icing: Mix 3 cups of the sugar and the milk in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil and keep it hot. Caramelize the remaining cup of sugar in an iron skillet. Do this by cooking over medium-high heat and stirring and scraping the pan with a flat-edged spatula as the sugar melts. Continue to cook until the syrup turns to medium or dark brown in color. This occurs at about 320 degrees F to 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Do not scorch the syrup. Stream the syrup into the boiling sugar and milk mixture and cook to the soft ball stage, about 238 degrees F. Add the butter, vanilla extract and baking soda.
• Pour the hot mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat as it cools until the icing is creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Watch the icing because it will go from runny to too thick very quickly. Spread on the cake layers while the icing is still warm. If it becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water.

Steps:

• Bake the cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 13x9" pan and dust with 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• Melt remaining 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add chocolate and remaining 1/2 cup cocoa powder; cook, whisking constantly, until smooth. Let cool slightly.
• Whisk eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Add sugar and whisk until smooth, lightened in color, and slightly aerated, about 2 minutes. Stream in buttermilk while whisking, then stream in chocolate mixture while whisking until smooth.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into chocolate mixture. Whisk until batter is mostly smooth (there will be a few small lumps). Transfer to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool completely.
• Make the frosting:
• Slice 2 oz. chocolate into long, thin shards; reserve for decorating. Coarsely chop remaining 7 oz. chocolate and transfer to a medium bowl. Add vanilla and salt.
• Heat cream in a small pot over medium until just starting to simmer. Pour over chocolate mixture and let sit 3 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in dulce de leche. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Whisk frosting to lighten and loosen, then use a spatula to spread over cake. If it's too stiff to work with, let it sit out on the counter for a few minutes. Sprinkle with reserved chocolate shards. Cut into thirds lengthwise, then into fifths crosswise (you should have 15 pieces).
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9- by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
• Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl. Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes in a standing mixer or 4 to 5 minutes with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate and vanilla and beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter between cake pans, spreading evenly, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of each layer, then invert onto racks. Peel off paper and cool layers completely.
• Make frosting:
• Heat milk in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot. Whisk together yolks, flour, 1/3 cup confectioners sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then add hot milk in a stream, whisking. Transfer custard to saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 2 minutes (mixture will be very thick), then transfer to a large bowl. Cover surface of custard with a buttered round of wax paper and cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• Add vanilla and remaining cup confectioners sugar to custard and beat with cleaned beaters at moderate speed until combined well, then increase speed to medium-high and beat in butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth. Add chocolates and beat until combined well.
• Frost cake:
• Halve each cake layer horizontally using a long serrated knife. Layer cake, using a heaping 1/2 cup frosting between each layer, then frost top and sides with remaining frosting.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners (or use a 9X13 prepared baking pan or cake pans. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, & salt in a large bowl or in bowl of stand mixer. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, & vanilla. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. (Batter will be thin.) Scoop about 1/4 cup batter into each cupcake liner, or into a baking sheet, or cake pans. Bake for 20 about minutes (for cupcakes) or 28 minutes (approximately) for a baking pan at 350°F or until toothpick comes out clean. NOTE: I always check my cakes at 5 minutes less than the recommended baking time, just to be sure I don't overbake the cake. A toothpick inserted, should come out clean. Cool completely and frost. TO MAKE THE CARAMEL FROSTING: In a small saucepan, cook butter until browned. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl; set aside to cool. Pour cool browned butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add powdered sugar. Add cream, vanilla, caramel syrup, and salt and beat until powdered sugar is completely incorporated. *The original recipe listed 1 pound of powdered sugar. I like my icing a little thicker, but adjust to your preferences **I would say that the heavy cream is optional...maybe add more caramel syrup, to suit your taste Be sure to have all of your ingredients pre-measured and close at hand. In a large, deep skillet, over high heat, mix together sugar and 1/4 cup water. Cook until mixture turns a dark amber color. Reduce heat to medium. To avoid dangerously hot splatter, protect arms with long sleeves & hand with oven mitt, & cautiously, and very slowly, add 1/2 cup water. Stir until mixture has reduced slightly. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 well-greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, allspice and cloves; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Remove from heat; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla., Place one cake layer on a serving plate; pour half of the warm icing over the cake. Top with remaining cake layer. Pour remaining icing over top of cake. If desired, top with caramel popcorn.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Butter and flour a 7-inch round cake pan (3 inches deep). Sift flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
• Meanwhile, make the milk-chocolate crunch: Fold crisped-rice cereal into melted milk chocolate until completely coated. Spread mixture about 1/4 inch thick onto a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Freeze until set, about 45 minutes. Chop into small pieces. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the caramel sauce: Bring granulated sugar, cream, corn syrup, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture registers 236 degrees on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool.
• Make the frosting: Place cocoa powder in a small bowl, and stir in hot water to create a thick paste. Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in melted semisweet chocolate and cocoa paste. If frosting doesn't seem firm enough, refrigerate for 10 to 12 minutes, whisking every few minutes. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use.
• Assemble the cake: Turn out cake from pan, and trim top. Slice into 3 even rounds. Place bottom layer on a rotating cake stand or a large plate, and spread 1/2 cup milk-chocolate crunch on top. Gently spread 3/4 cup caramel sauce on top, and cover with another 1/2 cup crunch. Top with middle cake layer, and repeat, finishing with top cake layer.
• Frost cake with a crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting to seal in stray crumbs): Gently sweep away any loose crumbs with a pastry brush, then use a small offset spatula to cover the top and sides a with a thin layer of frosting. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
• Let crumb-coated cake stand at room temperature for 45 minutes. Frost entire cake with remaining frosting in a swirling motion using a large offset spatula. Let stand at room temperature until ready to serve (up to 8 hours).