Chocolate Cake Meets Chocolate Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

As I sat down with the Pottery Barn catalog, my mind began to wander.  The baker in me wasn't allowing me to focus on the duvet sets but on salted caramel sauce.  I've made it before and drizzled it atop some vanilla ice cream...mmm mmm good.  However, this time, I wanted to pair it up with chocolate.  It came to me like a bolt of lightning...chocolate cake and chocolate salted caramel frosting.  Yes!  I went to bed like a giddy child waiting to open presents on Christmas day.

Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

12 tbsps. salted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces

1 cup heavy cream, room temperature

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Pour the sugar into a large saucepan.
2. Heat over medium-high heat, whisking regularly.
3. When all the sugar has melted, stop whisking.
4. Keep cooking the sugar until a deep golden amber color.
5. Once color is achieved, add the butter and whisk until incorporated.  Be careful, the caramel will bubble up.
6. Remove pan from heat.
7. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream.  Be careful, the caramel will bubble up again.
8. Once the cream is incorporated, whisk in the vanilla.
9. Let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes before storing in a glass jar.
10. If you can't wait that long, drizzle some on a scoop of ice cream and enjoy!

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cups butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

2 tsps. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9-inch round baking pans.  Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients and set aside.
3. In another large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.  Add vanilla.
5. Add in your dry ingredients, slowly.
6. Slowly add in your milk.
7. Distribute batter evenly into the two pans and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool for 10 - 15 minutes and transfer cakes to wire rack.
9. While cooling, begin working on your frosting.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cups salted caramel sauce (recipe above)

Directions

1. Begin by creaming sugar on medium speed.
2. Lower speed to low and add in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar.  Increase speed to high and whip for 1 minute.
3. Lower speed to medium and add in salted caramel sauce.  Increase speed to high and whip for 2 minutes or until thick and creamy.
4. Once cakes are completely cool, begin to frost.
5. Enjoy a slice!