AuthorHeather WallaceCategorycakeDifficultyIntermediateIt's been a while since I've made a layered cake so it was about time I posted a new recipe with one. Especially when we had something to celebrate here with my husband's birthday!
He loves caramel and toffee so this is my new creation that includes them both layered between moist chocolate cake...with a bit of caramelized almond dust thrown into the buttercream.
Check it out, it may just be your new favorite!
Preheat oven to 350°
Spray two 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray and lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
In a small saucepan add 1″ of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Place a heat-safe bowl on top of the pot making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Add 2 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate to the bowl and stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Whisk in 3/4 cup of canola oil and 1 cup of sugar until smooth and then add 1 large egg.
In a separate bowl sift together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture along with 1/2 cup of brewed coffee and 1/2 cup of buttermilk; whisk until smooth.
Add remaining dry ingredients, another 1/2 cup of buttermilk, and 1/2 cup of coffee and continue whisking until smooth.
Pour into the greased cake pans.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
Cool 10 minutes in pans and then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Once cakes are cooled, cut each in half horizontally so you have 4 layers.
Set aside.
In a medium pan over medium heat, cook 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water until sugar is dissolved.
Add 1 cup of whole or slivered almonds, continue to cook for 5 minutes or until coated, and caramelized.
Pour almonds onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Set aside and allow to cool.
In a large metal mixing bowl combine 1 cup of sugar and 6 room temperature egg whites, place over simmering water.
Whisk constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture is very thin and warm about 10 minutes.
Remove bowl from heat and transfer to an electric mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and continue to beat until cool, about 15 more minutes.
Cut 4 sticks of soft but cool butter into 1/2 inch pieces, beat into egg whites on low speed. The mixture may curdle before coming together.
Place half of the cooled caramelized almonds into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Add about 1/2 cup of chopped almonds to frosting along with 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.
Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of Heath Bits O' Brickle into the frosting.
Re-beat occasionally to maintain a smooth texture.
In a large heavy-bottomed sauce-pan melt 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter over high heat.
Add 1 1/2 cups of sugar.
Stir in 3/4 cup of buttermilk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, continue to cook for 5-7 minutes stirring constantly.
The mixture will foam up and then subside.
Continue to cook and stir for 10 more minutes until dark brown and is 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Pour caramel into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and whip for 3 minutes.
Place one layer of the cake onto a cake stand. Quickly top with about 2/3 cup of the caramel fudge filling, spread evenly.
Repeat with remaining layers and lightly frost the outside and top of the cake with frosting.
Refrigerate the cake for 10-15 minutes to let frosting chill. This will allow you to finish frosting the cake without the layers moving and sliding on you.
Finish frosting chilled cake with remaining buttercream and if desired make designs in the frosting with a cake frosting scraper.
Line the bottom with more Heath Bits O' Brickle and take leftover caramelized almonds and sprinkle on top of the cake to along with chunks of Heath bars to decorate.
Keep refrigerated, when ready to serve let come to room temperature for a bit before serving...if you can wait to eat it. I'm only able to wait about 15 minutes before I dig in!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°
Spray two 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray and lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
In a small saucepan add 1″ of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Place a heat-safe bowl on top of the pot making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Add 2 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate to the bowl and stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Whisk in 3/4 cup of canola oil and 1 cup of sugar until smooth and then add 1 large egg.
In a separate bowl sift together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture along with 1/2 cup of brewed coffee and 1/2 cup of buttermilk; whisk until smooth.
Add remaining dry ingredients, another 1/2 cup of buttermilk, and 1/2 cup of coffee and continue whisking until smooth.
Pour into the greased cake pans.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
Cool 10 minutes in pans and then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Once cakes are cooled, cut each in half horizontally so you have 4 layers.
Set aside.
In a medium pan over medium heat, cook 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water until sugar is dissolved.
Add 1 cup of whole or slivered almonds, continue to cook for 5 minutes or until coated, and caramelized.
Pour almonds onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Set aside and allow to cool.
In a large metal mixing bowl combine 1 cup of sugar and 6 room temperature egg whites, place over simmering water.
Whisk constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture is very thin and warm about 10 minutes.
Remove bowl from heat and transfer to an electric mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and continue to beat until cool, about 15 more minutes.
Cut 4 sticks of soft but cool butter into 1/2 inch pieces, beat into egg whites on low speed. The mixture may curdle before coming together.
Place half of the cooled caramelized almonds into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Add about 1/2 cup of chopped almonds to frosting along with 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.
Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of Heath Bits O' Brickle into the frosting.
Re-beat occasionally to maintain a smooth texture.
In a large heavy-bottomed sauce-pan melt 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter over high heat.
Add 1 1/2 cups of sugar.
Stir in 3/4 cup of buttermilk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, continue to cook for 5-7 minutes stirring constantly.
The mixture will foam up and then subside.
Continue to cook and stir for 10 more minutes until dark brown and is 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Pour caramel into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and whip for 3 minutes.
Place one layer of the cake onto a cake stand. Quickly top with about 2/3 cup of the caramel fudge filling, spread evenly.
Repeat with remaining layers and lightly frost the outside and top of the cake with frosting.
Refrigerate the cake for 10-15 minutes to let frosting chill. This will allow you to finish frosting the cake without the layers moving and sliding on you.
Finish frosting chilled cake with remaining buttercream and if desired make designs in the frosting with a cake frosting scraper.
Line the bottom with more Heath Bits O' Brickle and take leftover caramelized almonds and sprinkle on top of the cake to along with chunks of Heath bars to decorate.
Keep refrigerated, when ready to serve let come to room temperature for a bit before serving...if you can wait to eat it. I'm only able to wait about 15 minutes before I dig in!