Description
A rich and indulgent cake with deep chocolate flavor, enhanced by espresso and layered with silky salted caramel and a creamy buttercream frosting, finished with flaky sea salt.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or cake flour)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup salted butter (melted)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream, room temperature)
- ½ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot espresso
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (for caramel)
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tbsp salted butter (room temperature, for caramel)
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream (for caramel)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for caramel)
- Flaky sea salt (for topping)
- 1 cup salted butter (room temperature, for frosting)
- 2 tsp espresso powder (for frosting)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (for frosting)
- 1 tbsp espresso (cooled completely, for frosting)
Instructions
- Make the caramel by combining 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and ⅓ cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber color. Remove from heat, whisk in 2 tbsp salted butter, and slowly add 1 ¼ cups heavy cream. Stir until smooth and add 1 tsp vanilla extract; cool slightly and finish with flaky sea salt.
- Preheat the oven and grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
- Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt.
- In a mixer, combine melted salted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time and add vanilla extract. Mix in Greek yogurt and buttermilk, alternating with dry ingredients, then whisk in the hot espresso.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- For the frosting, beat 1 cup salted butter until fluffy, then gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tsp espresso powder. Mix in 1 tbsp cooled espresso and 1 tsp vanilla extract; adjust consistency with milk if needed.
- Assemble the cake by layering with salted caramel between the cake layers and crumb-coating the outside with frosting. Chill briefly and finish with a smooth final coat, drizzling more caramel on top and sprinkling with flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 50g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 70mg