Recipe: Angela’s Chocolate Toffee Caramel Cake


For birthdays, holidays and just-because days.

By: Angela Allison

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Cooling time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder like Hershey’s
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder like Hershey’s
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Toppings

  • 1 12 ounce jar caramel sauce
  • 10 ounces Heath Bar chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
  •  In a large bowl, add the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla and beat with a hand mixer until smooth, about a minute. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and and gently fold in the dry ingredients. With hand mixer on low, slowly pour in the cocoa/water mixture until combined, using a rubber spatula to finish mixing together the ingredients.
  • Divide batter between prepared pans (a kitchen scale is great to ensure equal amounts). Sprinkle in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips into each of the pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Transfer to baking racks and let cool for 10 minutes before removing cakes from pan to cool completely. Once completely cooled, transfer to freezer for 10 minutes to harden slightly.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Sift in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined, about a minute. Add in the vanilla and mix for another minute until creamy. Set aside.
  • Remove cakes from freezer. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut each cake in half crosswise to make 4 layers. On your cake pedestal, lay down a top layer of the cake top down and press slightly to flatten. Add on 1/3rd of the caramel sauce and spread on cake layer, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle on 1/3rd of the Heath bar. Add on another layer of cake and then spread on about 1/2 cup of frosting. Add another cake layer and spread on 1/3rd of the caramel and 1/3rd of the Heath bar. Add on the final layer of cake.
  • Frost the entire cake spreading the frosting over the top and sides. Drizzle on the remaining caramel all over cake. Sprinkle the remaining Heath bar over top. Refrigerate before serving.
  • For more recipes from Angela, click here.

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