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Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake with Salted Caramel Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 57 reviews
  • Author: Lucy
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Western

Description

Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake layered with rich Salted Caramel Buttercream, drizzled with luxurious Salted Caramel sauce and finished with a smooth Dark Chocolate Ganache. This show-stopping dessert combines moist chocolate layers with creamy salted caramel and silky ganache for an irresistible treat perfect for special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Fudge Cake

  • 200g butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup Dutch processed cocoa
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3 teaspoons vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups plain cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda

Salted Caramel

  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 180g butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt flakes

Dark Chocolate Ganache

  • 300g dark chocolate
  • 350ml heavy cream

Salted Caramel Buttercream

  • 375g butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups salted caramel (from above)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease, flour, and line two 20cm (8 inch) cake pans with baking paper.
  2. Make batter: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter, caster sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
  3. Prepare cocoa mixture: In a separate bowl, add Dutch processed cocoa and pour in hot water gradually to form a thick paste. Gradually add this cocoa paste to the butter mixture and mix well.
  4. Sour the milk: Combine milk and vinegar to sour the milk, then set aside.
  5. Sift dry ingredients: Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate soda. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the soured milk, starting and ending with the flour. Fold the batter gently until fully combined.
  6. Bake first layers: Pour 1/4 of the batter into each prepared cake pan and bake for 23 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  7. Cool first layers: Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Re-grease and line pans for second batch.
  8. Bake remaining batter: Repeat baking with remaining batter in the prepared pans following the same steps.
  9. Make salted caramel: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add caster sugar and brown sugar. Stir occasionally over medium heat until fully melted and smooth. Whisk in butter until melted. Remove from heat and slowly pour in heavy cream while whisking. Return to heat and boil mixture for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in salt flakes, and allow to cool before use.
  10. Make dark chocolate ganache: Melt dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth. Add heavy cream and stir until combined. Let ganache cool slightly until pourable but not hot.
  11. Make salted caramel buttercream: Beat butter until light and pale. Sift in icing sugar and beat well. Add 1 1/2 cups of the prepared salted caramel and beat until smooth. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes to firm up for piping.
  12. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a cake plate or baking paper. Using a piping bag fitted with a large open tip, pipe a border of large kisses around the edge with salted caramel buttercream. Fill the center with more buttercream, then spoon a generous amount of salted caramel sauce on top.
  13. Layer and repeat: Repeat assembly for all cake layers, alternating the salted caramel sauce and dark chocolate ganache between layers.
  14. Finish the cake: Top with piped buttercream kisses. Pour the cooled ganache over the top and use a spatula to encourage drips down the sides.
  15. Serve: Allow cake to set slightly, then slice and enjoy this decadent treat.

Notes

  • Use room temperature butter and eggs for better batter consistency.
  • Vinegar is used to sour the milk and react with the baking soda for leavening; do not skip.
  • Cake flour produces a lighter texture; if unavailable, use all-purpose flour with cornstarch.
  • Allow the salted caramel to cool completely before using in buttercream to avoid melting it.
  • The ganache should be warm but not hot when poured over the cake to achieve smooth drips.
  • Refrigerate assembled cake briefly to set buttercream before serving.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before eating for best texture.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 550 kcal
  • Sugar: 45 g
  • Sodium: 220 mg
  • Fat: 35 g
  • Saturated Fat: 20 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 55 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 6 g
  • Cholesterol: 110 mg

Find it online: https://cooksbylucy.com/decadent-chocolate-fudge-cake-with-salted-caramel-recipe/