I scream, you scream, we all scream for… cake! Yeah, I am cake over ice cream girl. I’ll skip the scoop any day for a big ole’ piece of cake. Well, you will be skipping the scoop after you have this Salted Caramel Chocolate Poke Cake with Caramel Buttercream!
This was a birthday cake for my sister. She like me is nuts for the caramel and chocolate combo. I mean who wouldn’t be? So good. Really anything caramel is ok in my book. Any who, this is a perfect celebration cake. Not too fancy, no cake decorating skills required and served right in the baking dish. It’s one of those cakes you would have loved to have at your birthday party as a kid! Well, we definitely aren’t kids anymore but we can indulge and take pleasure in the simple things too. Especially for your birthday!
Like I mentioned, this cake is no fuss no muss, just all must have goodness! The rich dense cake is filled with salted caramel as soon as it comes out of the oven so the caramel oozes into the crumb to create this ooey gooey texture that is just so right. Because we can never ever have too much salted caramel, I put in in the Swiss Meringue Buttercream, because duh. The light as air, smooth as silk, cream of the crop buttercream is the perfect juxtaposition to a moist, rich heavy (in a good way) cake. Again, chocolate and caramel are #couplesgoals! Then just for kicks…and because it’s yummy, drizzled more caramel over the frosting, drizzled some chocolate candy coating and sprinkled with sea salt. SO AMAZING! Needless to say, it was a hit with my sister.
Salted caramel seeps into those pokes! This creates that gooey texture!
Jackson Pollock style caramel and chocolate!
Nice big piece with a pile of perfect caramel buttercream!
No need to wait for your birthday to celebrate the weekend with this cake. Nothing fancy, just fantastically delicious! So, indulge with me this weekend and take pleasure in the simple things and bake my Salted Caramel Poke Cake with Caramel Buttercream. Your inner child with thank you…and me!
Happy Weekending & Poke Caking It!
Diane
- Salted Caramel:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 tbsp. unsalted butter - sliced
- 1.5 tsp. sea salt
- For the Cake:
- 1⅓ cup of A.P. Flour
- ½ tsp. of salt
- 1.5 tsp. of baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- 1 stick unsalted butter - room temp
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup brown rice syrup
- 2 eggs room temp
- ½ cup whole milk room temp
- ¼ cup buttermilk room temp
- 3 tbsp. sweet almond oil
- 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
- Salted Caramel Buttercream:
- 5 large egg whites
- 1.5 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. of salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (can sub vanilla extract)
- 4 sticks of unsalted butter - room temp
- ¾ - 1 cup salted caramel sauce
- Garnish:
- Salted Caramel
- ¼ cup of chocolate candy coating wafers
- Sea salt
- For the Salted Caramel:
- In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until all the sugar has melted and has turned a deep amber color.
- Carefully add the cream, it will bubble up. Continue to stir for another minute or two. If the caramel clumps up, continue to stir at low heat until smooth.
- Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, salt and butter and mix to until butter is melted and smooth.
- Transfer to heat proof jar and let sit at room temp while you prepare the cake. You can make ahead and store cooled caramel in airtight container in the fridge for a couple weeks. When ready to use, re-heat gently in the microwave in 30 second intervals until pourable.
- For the Cake:
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8x8 square baking pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine, the milk, buttermilk and vanilla extract and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy about 3 minutes.
- Slowly add the sugars and beat to combine, about five minutes. Scrape down side of bowl as needed.
- Add the brown rice syrup and combine until incorporated.
- Next add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully combined.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
- Next add the liquid mixture and beat until combined.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until no more flour bits remain. Don’t overmix.
- Last add the almond oil and mix to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on middle rack for 30 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until toothpick inserted comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan on rack for about 15 minutes. Then poke holes with a dowel, straw or anything you have to poke small holes throughout the top of the entire cake. Pour about a cup of the salted caramel over the top of the cake so it seeps down into the holes.
- Allow cake to cool completely at room temp.
- For the Buttercream:
- Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Pour sugar in bowl with the egg whites and add the salt.
- Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
- Whisk constantly until sugar has completely dissolved around 160 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can tell it’s done when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers and it is completely smooth with no graininess. Should take about 10 minutes.
- Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Begin beating the eggs and sugar until whites are glossy and stiff peaks have formed.
- The bowl should be cool to the touch, this will take around 10 minutes.
- Next switch to the paddle attachment and beat on medium high speed.
- Add the butter slowly one piece at a time to incorporate. The mixture will look like it’s curdled, keep mixing, that is normal.
- Mix until frosting is smooth and shiny.
- Add in the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Next add the caramel and mix to incorporate.
- Frost the cake:
- Scoop some of the frosting out on to the top of the cooled cake so the entire cake is covered. Dollop more frosting across the first layer of frosting and swirl in a circular motion to make swirls of frosting. You will have some frosting left over. Save in airtight container in the fridge for a week or freezer for up to 3 months.
- Garnish:
- Melt the candy coating in the microwave in 30 second intervals until completely melted and smooth. Next take a fork and dip in the pourable salted caramel and drizzle all over top of cake in back and forth motion, re-dip the fork whenever needed for more caramel.
- Do the same method with the chocolate. Release your inner Pollock!
- Store covered at room temp for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5. Serve at room temp.
- Enjoy!
Leave a Reply