Sweet and Salty Cake

Photo courtesy the fabulous Chrissy Cobb

This is one serious cake. In effort, yes, but even more so in taste. Is there a more perfect dessert combination than salty and sweet? Take, for example, the world’s greatest ice cream in Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby: fudge covered peanut butter filled pretzels in vanilla malt ice cream with fudge and peanut butter. Uhhhhh…

Right, back to the cake. This recipe comes from my favorite dudes Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of Baked in Brooklyn, NY. I made a pilgrimage of sorts to Baked NYC in April, and though they weren’t offering any sweet and salty cake that day, it was a trip well worth making. (I still remember you, s'more peanut butter banana nut bar.)

Without further ado, I give you chocolate cake + salted caramel sauce + whipped caramel chocolate ganache frosting. Serve this baby up with vanilla ice cream for proper indulgence.

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and MarthaStewart.com.

Makes one three-layer 8-inch cake or one two-layer 9-inch cake (with leftover frosting).

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake Layers

3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder, 1/4 cup regular unsweetened cocoa powder)

1 1/4 cups hot water

2/3 cup sour cream

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperatures

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 

Salted Caramel

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon fleur de sel (sea salt)

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup sour cream 

Whipped Caramel Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1 pound dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped (I used 12 oz. dark chocolate, 4 oz. semisweet chocolate)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

Preparation

Chocolate Cake Layers

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter round cake pans. Line each pan with a parchment paper round, butter and flour pan and paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, hot water and sour cream and set aside to cool.
3. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together until smooth and ribbon-like, about 7 minutes. Add both sugars and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until well incorporated. Add vanilla, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and mix again for 30 seconds.
5. In three batches, add the dry ingredients; 1/2 of flour mixture, cocoa mixtures and second 1/2 of flour mixture.
6. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake until cake is just firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Adding hot cream to the caramel

1. Combine water, sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan; stir gently to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, eyeball the mixture until it starts turning from golden to amber (try not to let it burn!). 

2. Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, combine the cream and fleur de sel. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until salt has dissolved. 

3. When the caramel mixture has reached 350 degrees, remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute. Carefully add the hot cream to the caramel (it’s going to bubble like crazy). Whisk in sour cream. Cool, and store in an airtight container, refrigerated, until you’re ready to assemble the cake or for up to 3 days.

Whipped Caramel Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1. Combine water, sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan; stir gently to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, eyeball the mixture until it starts turning from golden to amber (try not to let it burn!)
2. Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, combine the cream and fleur de sel. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until salt has dissolved.
3. When the caramel mixture has reached 350 degrees, remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute. Carefully add the hot cream to the caramel (again, it’s going to bubble like crazy). Stir the mixture slowly for 2 minutes.
4. Place chocolate in the bowl of an electric mixer and pour caramel sauce over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then slowly stir together until the chocolate is melted. Let the mixture cool.
5. Attach bowl to electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment and mix on low until the bowl feels cool to the touch.
6. Add butter gradually and increase speed to medium-high, mixing until the frosting is well combined, thickened and whipped. (If you find the mixture isn’t thickening, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then mix again.)

Assembly

1. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1/4 cup of the caramel over the top and allow a few minutes for some of it to soak into the cake.
2. Spread about 1 cup of the ganache frosting on top of the caramel, then sprinkle with fleur de sel, if desired. Repeat with second layer (if applicable).
3. Place final layer, bottom side up, on top and spread another layer of caramel. Let sit, then spread entire cake with remaining ganache frosting (it is totally reasonable if you have some left over). Sprinkle with fleur de sel, if desired.
4. Slice yourself a piece. Devour.

For a cupcake variation, bake the chocolate cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes, fill with salted caramel and top with chocolate caramel ganache frosting—though you can easily half the frosting recipe and have enough to top the cupcakes.