Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake is a decadent dessert that satisfies cravings for rich chocolate and sweet caramel. This recipe offers a foolproof way to create a crowd-pleasing cake that’s surprisingly easy to make, perfect for any occasion.
Key Ingredients for Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot brewed coffee
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
$1/4$ cup milk or heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
$2$ cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup chopped toffee bits (like Heath or Skor bars)
How to Make Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake
Get ready for an incredibly moist and deeply chocolatey experience with this Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake! This recipe is designed for ease and maximum flavor, featuring a rich chocolate cake base complemented by a luscious caramel frosting and crunchy toffee bits. The preparation time is approximately 30 minutes, with an additional 30-35 minutes for baking, making it a weekend treat or a delightful weeknight indulgence.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Cake Batter:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Ensure all the dry ingredients are well combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on low speed (or with a whisk) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Gradually add the hot brewed coffee to the batter while mixing on low speed. The batter will be thin; this is normal and contributes to the cake’s moistness.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan(s).
- Bake for 30-35 minutes for round pans, or 35-40 minutes for a 9×13 pan, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake(s) cool in the pan(s) on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the Caramel Frosting:
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the caramel frosting. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the softened butter and packed light brown sugar.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and let it boil for 1 minute exactly, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the milk or heavy cream and vanilla extract. The mixture might look a little separated at first; keep stirring.
- Let the caramel mixture cool for about 10-15 minutes, or until it’s no longer piping hot but still warm enough to be spreadable.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the cooled caramel mixture, beating with a whisk or an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time.
Assemble the Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake:
- Once the cake is completely cool, spread the caramel frosting evenly over the top of the cake(s).
- Generously sprinkle the chopped toffee bits over the frosting.
- If using round pans, stack the layers and frost the top and sides of the cake before sprinkling with toffee bits.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake
This Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake is an absolute showstopper, boasting a luxuriously moist chocolate cake that melts in your mouth, perfectly complemented by a luscious, buttery caramel frosting. It offers an incredible flavor and texture experience that rivals any bakery-bought cake, but at a fraction of the cost, making it a smart and delicious choice for home bakers. The delightful crunch of the toffee bits adds a sophisticated layer of texture and a delightful buttery sweetness that elevates this cake from simply delicious to truly unforgettable.
Forget the fuss of complex dessert recipes; this cake is a testament to how simple ingredients can combine to create something truly spectacular. It’s the perfect antidote to a craving for something sweet, decadent, and utterly satisfying, far superior to a store-bought treat. Why not ditch the checkout line and impress your loved ones (or just yourself!) with this homemade masterpiece?
Storing and Reheating Tips
- Refrigeration: Store any leftover Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The frosting may firm up in the fridge.
- Room Temperature: For best flavor and texture, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving after refrigeration.
- Freezing: This cake freezes exceptionally well. Wrap the cooled, unfrosted cake (or unfrosted layers) tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheating Frozen Cake: Thaw frozen cake overnight in the refrigerator. Add frosting and toffee bits just before serving. If reheating a slice, you can gently warm it in a low oven (around 250°F / 120°C) for a few minutes, but be careful not to dry it out. The frosting is best at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Final Thoughts
This Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake is a truly delightful creation that promises pure dessert bliss. Give this recipe a try; it’s a wonderfully rewarding bake that’s sure to become a new favorite.
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- Our Pinterest
Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour ($1$), granulated sugar ($2$), unsweetened cocoa powder ($3$), baking soda ($4$), baking powder ($5$), and salt ($6$). Ensure all the dry ingredients are well combined.1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs ($7$), buttermilk ($8$), vegetable oil ($9$), and vanilla extract ($10$) until smooth.2 large eggs, at room temperature, 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on low speed (or with a whisk) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Gradually add the hot brewed coffee ($11$) to the batter while mixing on low speed. The batter will be thin; this is normal and contributes to the cake’s moistness.1 cup hot brewed coffee
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan(s).
- Bake for 30-35 minutes for round pans, or 35-40 minutes for a 9×13 pan, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake(s) cool in the pan(s) on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto the rack to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the caramel frosting. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the softened butter ($13$) and packed light brown sugar ($14$).1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and let it boil for 1 minute exactly, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the milk or heavy cream ($15$) and vanilla extract ($16$). The mixture might look a little separated at first; keep stirring.¼ cup milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Let the caramel mixture cool for about 10-15 minutes, or until it’s no longer piping hot but still warm enough to be spreadable.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar ($17$) to the cooled caramel mixture, beating with a whisk or an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time.2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- Once the cake is completely cool, spread the caramel frosting evenly over the top of the cake(s).
- Generously sprinkle the chopped toffee bits ($19$) over the frosting.½ cup chopped toffee bits (like Heath or Skor bars)
- If using round pans, stack the layers and frost the top and sides of the cake before sprinkling with toffee bits.