I made this in March for our daughter's birthday. As you can see, the icing turned out grainy. I started using gmo free sugar and I never dreamed that it wouldn't melt like the other sugar does. So, I haven't been in a big hurry to share this with you. The cake had a wonderful flavor, it's chocolate with a wonderful caramel filling. At least, I can tell you what to not do. I got this recipe from America's Test Kitchen. There are a few little tricks to the filling that you have to do or it will not turn out well. This is a wonderful chocolate cake recipe. I'm using the cake recipe for a cake for Gary for Father's Day and I'll have pictures and tell you about it tomorrow.
Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat oven to 325. Grease 2 9" cake pans and line with parchment paper and grease paper and flour pans. Sift flour, cocoa into a large bowl. Whisk in sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl mix together buttermilk, water, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together buttermilk mixture into flour mixture a little at a time until it is blended well and batter is smooth. Divide batter between two can pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick comes out clean about 22 to 28 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cook on wire racks for 15 minutes then remove from pans and discard parchment paper and let cakes cool completely on rack at least 2 hours.
Caramel Filling
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
Lightly grease a glass 8" square baking pan. Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in sauce pan and bring to boil over medium heat and cook without stirring until mixture is amber colored. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes. When it is amber colored reduce heat to low and continue to cook swirling the mixture in the pan (do not stir). When mixture reaches a dark amber about 2-5 minutes the caramel is usually done but check temperature with a candy thermometer and make sure it is 375-380 degrees or it isn't done and your caramel will not turn out right. Take this mixture off of heat and stir in heavy cream, butter, vanilla and salt (mixture will bubble up and steam) but continue to stir and return to medium heat and cook. Now, you stir frequently until smooth and caramel reaches 240-245 degrees about 3-5 degrees. Carefully transfer caramel to prepared 8" square pan and let cool until just warm to touch about 20 to 30 minutes. You want to have your cake already cooled when you start this caramel because when the caramel has cooled to where it is warm you want to put it on the layers of your cake. It will get to hard where it won't spread if it totally cools. The filling of this cake is the hardest part.
Frosting
16 tablespoons, unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
Process butter, sugar, salt and cocoa in a food processor until smooth about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined 5-10 seconds and scrape down sides, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy about 10-15 seconds. Frosting can be made 3 hours in advance. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before using.
Use a serrated knife and score the cake by horizontal line around side of each layer then follow scored lines and cut each layer into 2 even layers. Using a rubber spatula transfer 1/3 of caramel to center of 1 cake layer and use a small offset spatula to spread over the surface leaving 1/2 inch border around edges. Repeat with remaining caramel and 2 remaining cake layers.
Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Let cake stand 1 hour before slicing. This cake can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature at least 5 hours before serving.
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