Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cake

It’s been a while since I last posted a layer cake recipe, and I’ve seen so many pictures of caramel drips on Pinterest I just had to try it. So this is, no doubt, one of the prettiest cakes I have ever made.

The inside features 4 layers of chocolate cake and a really interesting chocolate frosting. My original idea was to do a whipped chocolate ganache, but it is really hot here in Brisbane so I don’t think it cooled down enough to be properly whipped.

So when I tried to beat it, the ganache didn’t hold its shape and was quite runny. Instead, I made an American buttercream frosting and combined half of it with the ganache and a bit of cocoa powder.

Apparently it turned out really fluffy and wasn’t too sweet. Really surprising. So over the past few weeks I’ve been waiting for an email about this collaboration, then I completed a blog post with a YouTube video, posted another YouTube video and now this blog post. Tomorrow I’m making shortbread to give away to family members.

I’ve been pretty busy basically.  We’re going to Tasmania in exactly a week and I”m trying to get as much done as possible. How cool are these process shots as well? I turned it into a stop-motion video for Instagram.

It’s crazy to think that the year is almost over. I feel like I’ve done so much, more than I ever had before and I hope you have to.  It’s always important to step out of your comfort zone and continue growing as a person.

Lets talk about these macarons for a bit because they actually worked. I’m getting so much better and more consistent at making them. They are literally so finicky!

Sorry if my writing is a bit of all over the place. I am so tired. We got these beautiful flowers from the Brisbane Flower Markets in Rocklea; simply stunning and the light orange compliments the cake so well.

I just wanted to say that I am so grateful for the opportunity to do what I love every single day. Hearing what you guys say about my work and how it inspires you means the world to me, because that is why I blog.

I want this to somehow to impact yourself like how it has effected mine. If Beyond Our Sky does that to you, then I can’t explain how blessed I am. Someone once asked me, how did I get into all of this? I usually say it just happened; by that I mean the dream found me. This cake is really delicious. Its very moist and the flavours go together really well. I hope you make it, have a wonderful rest of the week, and please enjoy the recipe!

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cake

Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Live Love and Sugar.

• 2 cups (260g) flour
• 2 cups (414g) sugar
• 3/4 cup (70g) cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk*
• 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup (240ml) boiling water

1. Grease and line four 6 inch cake tins with baking paper. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt).
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla bean paste.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and whisk until just combined.
5. Add the boiling water, and mix well. The batter will be very thin.
6. Divide batter evenly between cakes pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
7. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Macarons

• 220g icing sugar
• 110g almond meal
• 4 egg whites
• 80g caster sugar
• Gold sprinkles, optional

1. In a food processor, combine the icing sugar, almond meal and instant coffee. Process until smooth and there are no obvious lumps. Alternatively, sift the ingredients 3 times. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and whip to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar in a steady stream and whip to stiff peaks. It should appear be very glossy and if you turn the bowl upside down, no meringue should fall out.
3. Add the dry ingredients into the meringue mixture and fold until it reaches a “lava-like” consistency (should be slowing falling off the spatula).
4. Transfer mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm-round nozzle. Pipe macarons shells approximately 2-3cm in size onto a lined baking tray (optional: use this template). Make sure you leave about 3cm of space in between each one.
5. Then sprinkle the shells with gold sprinkles. Bang the tray the 3 times on the bench to remove any air bubbles. Let macaron shells sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour to form a dry skin.
6. Bake in preheated oven at  160° C 10-12 minutes.
7. Allow to cool completely on baking tray then transfer onto wire rack.

American Buttercream Frosting

This chocolate frosting is a bit unconventional, but it actually turns outreally well! It combines a semi-whipped ganache and american buttercream frosting.

• 100mL cream
• 200g dark chocolate (I used Cadbury Original)
• 250g butter, room temperature
• 530g icing sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2-4 tbsp milk
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder

1. For the ganache, combine the cream and dark chocolate in a medium bowl. Microwave on high at 30 second intervals, mixing well in between, until the chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool at room temperature for a minimum of 4 hours to thicken. Once it is cooled, beat on high for 5 minutes or until medium peaks form.
2. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until pale in colour – about 6 minutes. Add the icing sugar a half cup at a time, mixing on high between each addition. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
3. Once all the sugar is combined, add the vanilla and required amount of milk. Beat on high for a further 3 minutes.
4. Divide the frosting in half. To one portion, add half of the semi-whipped ganache (save remaining ganache for macarons) and cocoa powder – then gently fold. Leave the other portion vanilla.

Salted Caramel Drip

• 200g sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 100g butter
• 120g cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water over high heat. Cook for 6-7 minutes, swirling occasionally but no stirring, until it becomes a golden, amber colour. Remove from heat, then stir in butter until melted. Add the cream, vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool completely.

Assembly

• Fresh flowers, to decorate

1. Pair the macaron shells with ones of similar size. Pipe remaining ganache onto one shell and sandwich together. Repeat with remaining shells.
2. Trim and level the cakes with a serrated knife or cake leveller so that the the top is completely flat/even.
3. Put the first layer of cake onto your cake stand/platter and spread a generous amount of  chocolate buttercream.
4. Place the next layer of cake on top, and continue until all layers are complete.
5. Spread a thin amount of vanilla frosting around the cake to secure any crumbs (this is called a crumb coat). Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the fridge, and this time – spread a thicker layer of vanilla buttercream as the final coat. Gently run a cake scraper around the sides to make the frosting completely smooth.Refrigerate again for 30 minutes.
7. Then remove the cake from the fridge and pour the caramel glaze on top it. Spread it to the edges and allow it to drip down the sides. Refrigerate to let the glaze set.
8. Transfer  any remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a french star tip. Pipe onto the cake, then decorate with macarons and fresh flowers.