Fudgy chocolate cake frosted with a silky espresso buttercream and filled with homemade salted caramel sauce. The best of both worlds collide into this heavenly 6-inch cake. I’ve updated the recipe instructions to include how to make this in cupcake form if you prefer cupcakes.
My husband, Hunter and I were born 1 year and 1 day apart, my birthday is the day before his! It’s like we were made for each other 😉 This year he wanted a cake with salted caramel sauce and I wanted something with espresso, so we met in the middle and Salted Caramel Espresso Chocolate Cake was born!
Neither one of us were disappointed with how this cake turned out. Decadent chocolate cake layers with espresso and silky caramel in every bite. Something tells me I’m going to be making this cake for all of our birthdays to come and I am not complaining! Keep reading for tips and what you need to make this dreamy cake.
What you need to make Salted Caramel Espresso Chocolate Cake
6-inch cake pans (or a 12-cup muffin pan if making cupcakes) – you only need two, I cut each one in half to get a total of 4 layers. I’ve linked the 6-inch cake pans I use here.
Offset spatula – this makes it so much easier to frost cakes! Find an offset spatula here.
Cake plate – real talk, I never use a turntable I just rotate the cake plate as I frost. I prefer a cake plate without sides.
Espresso – we’re using ground espresso to make fresh, hot espresso for the cake and espresso powder for the frosting. I often get asked how I make espresso and the brands I use so I’m linking it all here.
Salted butter – butter is used in the cake, the caramel sauce and the frosting.
Granulated sugar – I always use organic cane sugar unless I’m making caramel sauce. Organic sugar has more impurities making it easier to burn and also makes the sugar/water mixture look done way sooner which results in a pale, less rich caramel sauce. Use granulated sugar to make the caramel sauce.
Brown sugar – I like to add brown sugar to my chocolate cakes as it adds moisture and more depth of flavor. Feel free to substitute with granulated sugar.
Eggs – large eggs at room temperature.
Greek yogurt or sour cream at room temperature.
Buttermilk – can be substituted with whole milk. This ingredient should be room temperature.
Baking soda and baking powder – leavening agents for the cake.
All-purpose flour – you know the drill, scoop it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife so you don’t pack the flour. Cake flour also works wonderfully.
Cocoa powder – any kind works. Sift the cocoa powder into the dry ingredients if it has a lot of clumps.
How to make Salted Caramel Sauce
For this cake, I used a different caramel sauce recipe than what I usually use. This recipe is made with water, milk, heavy cream and less butter. This results in a thinner caramel sauce that won’t harden up after you’ve assembled the cake. This recipe can be a little more tricky to make so pay attention to the steps and watch it carefully! If you want the sauce a little thicker replace the milk with more heavy cream.
Water
Granulated sugar, see notes above
Salted butter, room temperature
Heavy cream
Vanilla extract
Flaky sea salt
You’ll start by setting out and measuring the heavy cream and butter. It needs to be ready to go since we have to move quickly when making caramel sauce. Also have the vanilla extract, sea salt, a whisk and a jar (to store the cream) ready to go.
Add the sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Pour the water over the sugar. There is no need to stir here and do NOT stir once the sugar has dissolved as this will cause the sugar to crystallize which results in a grainy caramel sauce. Bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling keep an eye on it until it turns a deep dark amber color.
Now add the butter, heavy cream, milk and whisk constantly. The caramel will seize up and harden, just keep whisking until it’s smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and sea salt. Pour the sauce into a jar and place in the fridge to cool completely before using.
How to make Espresso Buttercream
This Espresso Buttercream is super light, not too sweet and easy to spread on the cake so you don’t need a crumb coat. I used espresso powder and just a little leftover cooled espresso that we used in the cake to give the buttercream plenty of espresso flavor. It is very important that you do not use too much of the liquid espresso as this will cause the frosting to curdle!
Start by whipping room temperature butter until it’s lighter in color and texture. Beat in the espresso powder and vanilla until smooth. Add half of the powdered sugar and half the espresso and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in remaining powdered sugar and espresso.
I recommend making the cake and caramel the day before to help the process go smoothly and to give them plenty of time to cool. The next day all you have to do is make the frosting and assemble the cake! If you make this, please comment so I can hear how much you loved it.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Espresso Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup all purpose flour or cake flour
- ½ cup granulated or cane sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- pinch of fine salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅓ cup salted butter melted
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream room temperature
- ⅓ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup freshly brewed, hot espresso
For the caramel sauce
- 1 + ½ cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tbsp salted butter room temperature
- 1 and 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- flaky sea salt
For the espresso buttercream
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp espresso powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp espresso cooled completely
Instructions
To make the caramel
- Add sugar to a small pot over medium heat. Cover with the water, no need to stir. Bring to a boil. Do NOT stir. Once boiling watch it closely until it turns a deep amber color. Once mixture is a deep amber color, add the butter, heavy cream and milk. Whisk constantly.
- Caramel sauce will seize up and harden, but just keep whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and sea salt. Pour caramel into a heat safe glass jar. Let cool and thicken before using. If making ahead of time, no need to store in the fridge.
To make the cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. See notes if making cupcakes. Grease and flour 2 (6-inch) cake pans. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients except the espresso. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until mostly combined. Pour in the espresso and continue whisking until combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let cakes cool mostly in the pan before removing from the pans to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, use a large knife to cut the cakes in half.
To make the frosting
- Add the butter and vanilla to a medium size mixing bowl and beat until the butter is fluffy and lighter in color. Beat in the espresso powder until combined. Add half the powdered sugar and espresso and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and beat in the remaining powdered sugar and espresso.
Assembling the cake
- Place one layer of cake on a cake plate. Add some espresso buttercream and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Pour some caramel in the center, leave about an inch around the edges so the caramel doesn't run down the sides. It's ok if it does a little, it will get covered with frosting. * you are not using all of the caramel, I had about half left*
- Repeat with 2 more layers, making sure your cake is straight and not tilting with each layer. Place remaining cake layer on top. Frost the sides of the cake. I start by adding frosting about a half inch above the bottom of the cake to avoid getting frosting all over the cake plate. Work your way around and up the cake adding frosting and smoothing it out with an offset spatula.
- Frost the top of the cake. Pour caramel sauce in the center of the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides. You may need to give it a little push around the edges depending on how thick your caramel sauce is. Use a large knife to cut the cake. Serve and enjoy!
This was sooo sooooo good! Yum. Bake more !