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Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cake | MrsHappyHomemaker.com @mrshappyhomemaker
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Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups flour
  • heaping 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk full fat is best
  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee or expresso cooled
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 cups confectioners sugar sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or more to taste

Make the salted caramel sauce (or use your favorite store-bought version):

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons salted butter room temperature cut up into 6 pieces
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour 2 9-inch round cake pans.
  • Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, & salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil & vanilla. Add it slowly to the dry mixture while stirring. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. The batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove layers from pans & transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Make frosting:

  • Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the brown sugar along with 4 Tablespoons of heavy cream. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved. Add the salt. Allow to bubble for 2 minutes, whisking every 30 seconds or so. Remove from heat, pour into a heat-proof mixing bowl, and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.
  • With a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat in 4 cups confectioners' sugar and the rest of the heavy cream along with the vanilla. Slowly add 1/2 cup more confectioners' sugar until you reach the desired consistency & sweetness.

Make the salted caramel or use a jar of your favorite store-bought version.

  • Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps & eventually melt into a thick amber colored liquid. Be careful to not burn it.
  • Once sugar is completely melted, add the butter immediately. Stir with a whisk until the butter is completely melted.
  • Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while stirring. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Allow to cool before using.

Assemble the cake:

  • Frost the bottom layer of cake on the top with the amount of frosting you desire. Top with the remaining layer of cake. Thinly frost the entire cake & set in the fridge for 30 minutes (a crumb coating).
  • Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake evenly.
  • Top with cooled salted caramel sauce to taste - or serve it on the size & drizzle each piece with it. I like a lot of caramel, so I used nearly all of it on this cake. If you don't want as much, feel free not to use as much. The caramel will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge & is amazing on ice cream & apples.