Chocolate Caramel Cake Recipe: Rich, Moist, Easy

It's the kind of cake chocolate caramel lovers crave, working just as well for birthdays and holidays as it does for a cozy weekend treat. If you love classic chocolate cake paired with sweet, buttery caramel, this chocolate and caramel cake delivers bakery-style results right from your own kitchen.

This chocolate caramel cake is made with everyday baking ingredients that come together to create rich chocolate cake layers with a soft, moist crumb and deep flavor, forming the perfect base for caramel frosting.

• All-purpose flour: Provides structure for the cake layers while keeping the texture tender and soft.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps retain moisture for a soft, rich crumb.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Delivers deep chocolate flavor without adding extra sweetness.
• Baking powder: Helps the cake rise evenly for light, well-structured layers.
• Baking soda: Reacts with the buttermilk to create a fluffy, airy texture.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the overall chocolate flavor.
• Buttermilk: Adds richness and moisture; a cup of whole milk mixed with acid can be used if needed.
• Vegetable oil: Keeps the cake exceptionally moist, even after cooling.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients and provide structure to the cake.
• Vanilla extract: Enhances both the chocolate and caramel flavors.
• Butter flavoring: Adds a nostalgic, bakery-style taste to the cake.
• Boiling water: Blooms the cocoa powder for a deeper, more intense chocolate flavor.

Caramel Buttercream Ingredients

This caramel buttercream frosting is smooth, creamy, and perfectly balanced with a hint of salt, making it ideal for a salted caramel chocolate cake.

• Unsalted butter: Forms the base of the buttercream frosting and should be at room temperature for easy mixing.
• Powdered sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet frosting texture.
• Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth to the caramel buttercream.
• Caramel sauce: Brings rich caramel flavor that pairs beautifully with chocolate.
• Salt: Turns the frosting into a lightly salted caramel buttercream, balancing the sweetness.

This chocolate caramel cake is easy to follow and rewarding to make, with each stage building rich chocolate flavor and smooth caramel buttercream for a beautifully layered caramel chocolate cake.

Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans, or four 8×1-inch pans if you prefer thinner cake layers. This step helps ensure the cakes release cleanly from the pan after baking.

Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until fully combined. Mixing the dry ingredients well helps the cake bake evenly.

Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and butter flavoring to the dry mixture. Mix on medium speed just until incorporated. The batter will be thick at this stage, which is normal.

Bloom Cocoa: Slowly pour in the boiling water while mixing on low speed. This step blooms the cocoa powder and intensifies the chocolate flavor, creating a smooth and pourable batter.

Bake Layers: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

Cool & Chill: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. For easier handling and clean layers, freeze the cake layers for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

Buttercream Base: Beat the butter until completely smooth and creamy. This creates the foundation for a light, fluffy caramel buttercream frosting.

Sweeten & Flavor: Add half of the powdered sugar and half of the caramel sauce, mixing until combined. Then add the remaining powdered sugar, the rest of the caramel sauce, and the salt. Beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy.

Prepare Piping: Transfer about half of the buttercream into a piping bag or zip-top bag and snip off the tip to make cake assembly easier and cleaner.

Layering: Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Pipe a buttercream dam around the inside edge, then spread a thin layer of buttercream inside the dam if desired. Spoon caramel sauce over the center and gently spread it out. Repeat with the remaining layers.

Final Frosting: Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining caramel buttercream. Smooth the sides and create a simple zigzag pattern on top using an offset spatula or spoon.

Serve & Enjoy: Slice and serve your chocolate caramel cake right away, or chill briefly to help the layers set. Enjoy!

A few simple tips can take this chocolate caramel cake from good to unforgettable, especially when it comes to texture and presentation.

Always use room-temperature ingredients, particularly butter and eggs, so they blend smoothly and evenly into the batter and frosting. Blooming the cocoa powder with boiling water is essential for developing a deep, rich chocolate flavor, which is especially important in a salted caramel chocolate cake.

Chocolate cake is also notorious for producing crumbs during assembly, which is why freezing the cake layers is essential. Chilling or freezing the layers helps eliminate loose crumbs, makes stacking much easier, and reduces the risk of breaking the layers once the caramel buttercream is added. This step is especially helpful when working with caramel sauce between the layers.

When making the caramel buttercream, beat it long enough to incorporate air, which creates a light, fluffy texture that beautifully balances the richness of the chocolate cake.

Proper storage helps this cake stay moist and delicious for days.

Once assembled, cover the cake loosely and store it at room temperature for up to two days if your kitchen is cool. For longer storage, refrigerate the cake, ensuring it is well covered to prevent drying out.

Before serving, let the cake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so the caramel buttercream softens. Individual slices can be frozen, wrapped tightly, and thawed overnight in the refrigerator for an easy dessert later.

This recipe is easy to customize depending on your taste or occasion.

For a stronger salted caramel flavor, drizzle extra salted caramel sauce between the cake layers or over the top before serving. This works especially well if you want to lean into a chocolate-cake salted-caramel profile.

You can also turn this into a sheet cake or cupcakes for a more casual presentation. Adding a splash of heavy cream to the buttercream creates an even silkier frosting, while swapping part of the caramel buttercream with chocolate frosting gives the cake a bold contrast between the caramel and chocolate.

This chocolate caramel cake pairs beautifully with simple, classic sides that balance its rich flavor.

A hot cup of coffee or espresso enhances the chocolate notes, while a cold glass of milk keeps the dessert feeling nostalgic and comforting.

For a more elegant pairing, serve the cake with vanilla bean ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream. Fresh berries also work well, adding a bright contrast to the rich chocolate and caramel flavors in this cake.

This chocolate caramel cake is rich, comforting, and perfect for everything from birthdays to cozy weekends at home. With moist chocolate layers and smooth caramel buttercream, it delivers that classic sweet-and-chocolatey combo everyone loves.

It's easy enough to bake at home but special enough to feel like a treat, making it a recipe you'll want to come back to again and again.

Yes, this chocolate caramel cake is a great make-ahead dessert. You can bake the cake layers a day in advance and store them tightly wrapped at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Frost the cake the next day once the layers have cooled completely. The caramel buttercream holds up well and actually tastes even better after the flavors have had time to settle.

The secret to this moist chocolate cake is the combination of vegetable oil, buttermilk, and boiling water mixed with cocoa powder. These ingredients work together to create a soft, tender crumb that stays moist for days, even after refrigeration.

Absolutely. Homemade salted caramel adds incredible depth of flavor to this caramel chocolate cake. Just make sure the caramel sauce has cooled before mixing it into the caramel buttercream frosting. A smooth salted caramel sauce also works beautifully as a drizzle over the finished cake.

Unsweetened cocoa powder is best for this cake recipe. It gives the chocolate cake a rich, deep chocolate flavor without adding extra sweetness. Avoid hot cocoa mix, as it contains added sugar and milk powder, which can affect the cake's texture.

If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can use a cup of whole milk mixed with a small amount of acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for a few minutes before using. This simple substitute still helps activate the baking soda and keeps the cake soft.

Adding salt is key to balancing the sweetness. A touch of salt turns the frosting into a salted caramel buttercream and enhances the caramel flavor without overpowering the chocolate. You can also beat in a small splash of heavy cream to mellow the sweetness and improve the texture.

Yes, this recipe works beautifully as a layer cake. You can divide the batter into thinner cake layers or bake additional rounds for a taller cake. Just be sure each cake layer is fully cooled before stacking to prevent slipping.

If your kitchen is cool, the cake can stay at room temperature for a day or two. For longer storage, refrigerate the cake and bring it back to room temperature before serving. This helps the buttercream frosting soften and restores the full chocolate caramel flavor.

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