Chocolate Cake With Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Share on facebook
Share on pinterest
Share on email
Print
I loved how this turned out! This is a moist and flavorful chocolate cake with super light and creamy caramel Swiss meringue buttercream. It even has homemade caramel and ganache drip on top! This recipe is from livforcake.com. Let’s get baking!
INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
CARAMEL:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 150 ml heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- 4.5 oz milk chocolate good quality, finely chopped
- 3 oz heavy whipping cream
CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM:
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
- 1/2 cup caramel cooled
DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease and line two or three 6″ round baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water in slowly as not to cook the eggs if very hot).
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 30-35mins.
DIRECTIONS FOR CARAMEL:
- Place sugar and water into a medium pot, stir to combine, but do not stir from this point forward. Cook over high heat, washing down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water as needed to prevent crystals.
- Cook until desired color of golden brown is reached and immediately remove from heat.
- Very slowly, whisk in heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up (a lot) and boil. Add butter, return to heat, and bring back to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a container and place in fridge to thicken.
DIRECTIONS FOR CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- Place chopped chocolate and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Stir to combine. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir. Microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and silky. Set aside to cool completely before using.
DIRECTIONS FOR CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.
- Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch and reaches 160 degrees F on a thermometer (approx. 3mins).
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue gets stiff peaks and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)
- Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter one at a time and mix until smooth.
- Add cooled caramel and whip until smooth.
NOTE: If it curdles or separates, just keep whipping it should come together eventually.
DIRECTIONS FOR ASSEMBLY:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving dish. Top with about 2/3 cup buttercream, drizzle with caramel and ganache. Repeat with remaining layers (depending on how many were made). Crumb coat the outside and chill cake for 15mins. Frost and smooth the outside, chill for 30mins.
- Using a teaspoon, drip ganache along the edges then fill in the top. Chill for 15mins.
- Repeat with caramel and chill for 30mins.
- If desired, top with rosette swirls and sprinkles! Enjoy!
Thanks for baking with me!
~ Natalie
