Chocolate and Caramel Cake

The ultimate chocolate caramel cake, made from scratch. Three layers of amazingly moist chocolate cake are slathered in a creamy chocolate-caramel frosting and topped with extra salted caramel sauce – heaven! Everything is super easy to make and can be prepared ahead if desired. Spoil your family and friends by making this for your next special occasion or party cake.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick and easy – if you want a cake that will impress a crowd but is actually easy to make, this is it!
• Make ahead – all of the elements can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer, to be assembled later.
• Ultra-moist – the chocolate cake has a super-moist and tender crumb that will melt in your mouth!
• 3 layers – make it into a spectacular 3-layer cake, or adapt for two layers or just a single cake, if preferred.
• The cake is made in one bowl and is quick, easy and delicious.
• Perfect for any occasion – it can be dressed up with additional toppings for a party or special occasion, or simply coated in frosting and caramel for a lovely afternoon tea with a cuppa.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Plain flour – also called all-purpose flour. The structure of the cake.

• Cocoa powder – use unsweetened, natural cocoa powder rather than Dutch process. Natural cocoa powder will react with the bicarb/baking soda, helping the cake to rise.

• Sugar – regular, white granulated sugar, for sweetness.

• Baking soda and baking powder – both are used here, for lift.

• Salt – balances the flavour. Regular table salt is fine.

• Eggs – two large eggs are used to bind the cake and add moisture. Use free-range where possible, at room temperature.

• Milk – use regular, full-fat milk for best results.

• Oil – is used to add loads of moisture to the cake. Cocoa powder is a drying ingredient, so oil (rather than butter) is required for the batter. I recommend using a neutral tasting oil like vegetable or canola oil.

• Caramel sauce – is used in both the frosting and to top the cake. Homemade caramel sauce is best and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge ready to use. Or, you can buy your own from the shops to save time. If using store-bought caramel sauce, choose a nice, good quality sauce that is thick. Dulce de leche can also be used. The caramel sauce should be at room temperature to mix into the frosting and drizzle over the cake easily.

• Boiling water – hot water enhances the chocolate flavour in the cake by helping the cocoa powder to bloom. It also helps to dissolve any lumps.

• Icing sugar – also called powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar, is used for the butter frosting. I recommend sifting it first, to prevent lumps.

• Butter – melted butter is used for the frosting. Use regular, salted or unsalted butter for best results.

• Vanilla – enhances the chocolate flavour in the cake.

Step by step instructions

**Full ingredient list and detailed step-by-step instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

The caramel sauce should be prepared ahead of time, to allow it to cool. You can read more tips on making your own caramel sauce here, or use store-bought.

Step 1 – Make the chocolate cake;

Mix the dry cake ingredients in a bowl, until combined.

Add the eggs, vanilla, oil and milk and whisk to combine. Then, carefully add the boiling water and whisk until combined.

** The batter will appear runnier than normal cake batter. This is ok! Everything will come together in the oven.

Step 2 – Bake;

Divide the cake batter evenly between 3 x 20cm cake tins (or bake in batches if you don’t have 3 tins), greased and lined with baking paper.

Bake until the cakes are completely cooked and spring back in the middle when gently pressed. When cooked, a wooden skewer inserted into the middle will come out mostly clean, with a few crumbs sticking.

Step 3 – Make the frosting;

Stir the butter and vanilla together with the caramel sauce. Add the cocoa powder and mix until combined.

Add the icing sugar and salt along with enough milk to form a soft but firm frosting and mix until completely combined. 

The frosting should be thick enough to hold its shape. If it is too thin, add a little more icing sugar until it reaches the desired thickness. If it’s too thick, add more milk.

Step 4 – Assemble;

Assemble the layers one at a time. To start, place one cake layer on your cake stand or plate.

Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of the chocolate caramel frosting over the top of the first cake layer. Use the spatula to create a “trough” in the frosting and add some of the caramel sauce.

Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the frosting and caramel process. Top with the third cake layer.

Add the frosting to the sides (optional) sides and top of the cake. Drizzle with more caramel sauce and add a small sprinkle of salt flakes or your choice of chocolate caramel treats.

Expert tips

• Measure and weigh the ingredients for best results. Kitchen scales should be used to weigh the flour, for accuracy. If you don’t have kitchen scales, make sure you measure and level the flour with a knife. Too much flour and cocoa will dry out the cake.
• Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature.
• The cake batter will appear a little runnier than you may expect. This is normal and everything will result in a super-moist cake once baked.
• I use my homemade salted caramel sauce in this recipe. If you use a different recipe or a store-bought caramel sauce, choose a thick one. Runny sauce will run off the cake layers.
• The cake and the caramel should be completely cool before attempting to frost and assemble. A warm cake will melt the frosting, causing the layers to slide.
• Make ahead – the cake, caramel and frosting can be made the day before and assembled the following day. Store the caramel sauce and frosting in the fridge in airtight containers and completely wrap the cake and store at room temperature. If making the cake more than a day ahead, it should be wrapped and frozen (undecorated) until being thawed for use. The caramel and frosting will need to be brought back to room temperature before assembling, or they will be hard to spread.
• Top the cake with any of your favourite chocolate-caramel inspired treats like Twix, Mars bars or Caramello chocolate.
• If your oven isn’t big enough or you don’t have enough cake tins to bake the cake layers at the same time, you can bake in batches.
• The cake can be made into 3 layers as per the recipe card below, or you can bake it into 2 cakes or a single cake. You will need to adjust the cooking time to suit.

FAQs

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in February 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in August 2022.