My oldest daughter, Bree, has a palette like her momma. A taste for that delicious combination of sweet and salty. Her most favourite is salted caramel. This chocolate salted caramel cake is sure to hit all those sweet and salty notes in every single bite. I’ve used my go-to never-fail chocolate cake recipe for the layers. They are rich and moist and fudgy. What else could you want in a chocolate cake?
Next up there’s a sea salt caramel chip ganache filling that is silky smooth with a hint of salt. The whole cake is covered in a mouth-watering salted caramel butter. And let’s not forget about a luxurious salted caramel drip. Because if you’re going to eat cake…you might as well go all the way, right?!
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Free Chocolate?!
I was picking up my weekly grocery order from the Real Canadian Superstore and as the employee finished loading the order in the trunk of my car they informed me that because I spent a ridiculous amount of money feeding 3 growing children and a heavy-duty mechanic of a husband that week (my words, not hers) that I received a free box of chocolates.
Well, gosh, I guess there is an upside of forking over cash for copious amounts of rice cakes, chicken, apples, and toothpaste. I gladly accepted my free box of chocolates and made my merry way home.
Much to my surprise, as I unpacked the groceries in my kitchen, not only was it a free box of chocolates it was a free box of those amazing Lindt Lindor caramel and sea salt chocolates. Let’s all say “score” together shall we! After a quick taste test (okay, okay…3 taste tests) I got to mixing up this delicious Chocolate Salted Caramel cake.
Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake
- Total Time: 2 Hrs 30 Min
- Yield: 10 Slices 1x
Description
Fudgy and moist chocolate cake layers with the most decadent salty and sweet salted caramel ganache filling and buttercream. This would make the perfect celebration cake.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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2 cups sugar
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⅔ cup cocoa powder
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2 tsp. baking soda
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1 tsp. fine sea salt
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2 cups hot coffee
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1 cup vegetable oil
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1 tbsp. vanilla extract
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3 tbsp. vinegar
Salted Caramel Sauce
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½ cup granulated sugar
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⅛ cup dairy-free salted butter
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⅛ cup dairy-free milk
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½ tsp. fine sea salt
Sea Salt Caramel Ganache Filling
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6 oz Hershey’s sea salt caramel chips *these are not dairy-free
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1.5 oz almond milk
Salted Caramel Buttercream
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1 cup dairy-free salted butter, room temperature
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1 cup vegetable shortening
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8 cups icing sugar
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1 tbsp. sea salt
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½ cup salted caramel sauce
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⅛ cup dairy-free milk
Instructions
Equipment
Chocolate Cake
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare three 6-inch round cake pans.
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Add all the dry ingredients to stand mixer and give a quick whisk.
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Add all the wet ingredients except vinegar and whisk until fully incorporated.
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Add vinegar and whisk until fully incorporated.
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Divide batter between pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
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Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then invert on a cooling rack to fully cool.
Salted Caramel Sauce
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In a medium pot over low heat and stirring continually melt the sugar until it turns to liquid and caramel colour.
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Add the butter and stir rapidly for about 2 minutes.
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Slowly add in the milk and stir. Let mixture come to a boil for 1 minute.
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Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt.
Sea Salt Caramel Chip Ganache
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In a microwave-safe bowl heat the almond milk and chips in 30-second intervals until fully melted. Stir until smooth.
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Allow to fully cool before filling cake.
Salted Caramel Buttercream
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In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and shortening on high speed with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Approximately 5-10 minutes.
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Add the icing sugar, salt, caramel sauce, and milk and mix on low until combined.
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Turn the mixer up to medium and let mix for 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl when necessary.
Cake Assembly
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Place one leveled layer of chocolate cake on a cake board or plate. Top with approximately 1 cup of buttercream.
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Pipe a border of buttercream around the edge and fill with approximately ⅓ cup sea salt caramel chip ganache. Repeat with remaining layers and apply a thin coat of buttercream all over the cake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
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Cover the cake with another layer of buttercream and smooth sides.
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Decorate as you please. To do a caramel drip heat the caramel sauce in the microwave in 30-second intervals until smooth and runny. On a very cold cake drip the sauce over the edge of the cake using a spoon or a piping bag. I topped the cake with buttercream swirls using a Wilton 1M tip and topped each swirl with a Lindt caramel and sea salt chocolate. Enjoy.
- Prep Time: 2 Hrs
- Cook Time: 30 Min
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: baking, cake, chocolate cake recipe, dairy-free chocolate cake recipe, salted caramel chocolate cake recipe, dairy-free salted caramel chocolate cake recipe, dairy free salted caramel cake recipe, salted caramel chocolate cake recipe