Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

This Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake is a decadent rich cake, full of flavor and texture. It is composed of three layers of moist chocolate cake, enriched with toasted pecans and filled with salted caramel sauce and a cream cheese caramel frosting, topped with a beautiful and impressive caramel sail. If you love salted caramel and chocolate, this cake is a dream come true. Serve each slice of cake with more caramel sauce for an unforgettable experience.

I loved making the caramel sail, it was fun and pretty easy to prepare. It is very delicate, so be gentle with it, so it won’t break. Feel free to use a bowl or a tall glass, depending on the size and deepness you want to achieve.

How to make chocolate salted caramel cake

Start by preparing the caramel sauce. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar and water. Cook without stirring until the sugar dissolves and caramelizes. Remove from heat, add cream (carefully, it will bubble), then stir until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract, butter, and salt, then set aside to cool.

How to prepare the chocolate pecan cake layers

For the pecan chocolate cake layers preheat the oven to 300F (150C) and toast pecans for 15 minutes. Let them cool, and chop.

Grease three 8-inch (20cm) pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine dry ingredients, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, mix oil and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla. Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream, being careful not to overmix. Stir in melted chocolate and chopped pecans.

Divide batter among pans and bake at 350F (180C) for 10-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs.

How to prepare the caramel cream cheese frosting

Beat cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar and 1/3 cup caramel sauce. In another bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form, then fold into the cream cheese mixture.

How to assemble the chocolate salted caramel cake

Pipe a bit of frosting onto a serving platter, and place the first cake layer. Pipe a border of frosting and spread ¼ cup (60g) caramel sauce over the cake. Cover with cream cheese frosting. Place the second layer of cake.

Pipe a border of frosting and spread ¼ cup (60g) caramel sauce over the cake. Cover with cream cheese frosting.

Place the third layer of cake. Spread the remaining frosting on top and sides of the cake. Use an offset spatula, take a small portion of caramel sauce, and spread it on sides. Smooth the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.

How to prepare the caramel sail

Cook sugar and water until caramelized, then let cool until slightly thickened. Pour over a silicone mat and shape as desired using paper clips. Let set for 30 minutes, then remove the silicone mat. Place the caramel sail on top of the cake and serve with additional caramel sauce. Enjoy your decadent pecan chocolate caramel cake!

Hope you will try this delicious layer cake recipe.  If you do, make sure to share the photos with me on Instagram. Enjoy!

For more layer cakes check our full collection of Layer Cake Recipes. For more caramel desserts check our full collection of Caramel Recipes.

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Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

5 from 1 vote

This Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake is a decadent rich cake, full of flavor and texture. Three layers of moist chocolate cakes, enriched with toasted pecans and filled with salted caramel sauce and a cream cheese caramel frosting, topped with a beautiful and impressive caramel sail. If you love salted caramel and chocolate, this cake is a dream come true. Serve each slice of cake with more caramel sauce for an unforgettable experience.

Servings 12 servings

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

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Chocolate Layer Cakes

• 1 ½ cup (150g) pecans, , toasted
• 1 ⅓ cup (170g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp (4g) salt
• 1 ¾ tsp (7g) baking powder
• 3 fl. oz (90ml) vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (190g) sour cream
• 4 oz (120g) semisweet chocolate , melted

Caramel Sauce (makes about 1 1/2 cup-360g)

• 1 ½ cup (300g) sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) water
• 3/4 cup (180g) whipping cream
• 3 tbsp (45g) unsalted butter , room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp (8g) vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tsp (8g) salt

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 pound (500g) cream cheese , room temperature
• 1 ½ cup (360g) whipping cream , 35%fat
• 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup (80g) caramel sauce

Caramel Sail

• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• 2 tbsp (30ml) water

For assembly

• 1/2 cup (120g) caramel sauce , divided

For serving

• remaining caramel sauce (about 160g)

Instructions

 

First prepare the caramel sauce.

• Place the sugar and water in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook without stirring until sugar dissolves and gets a caramel color.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream. It will bubble a little bit.
• Cook for about 1 minute stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until smooth.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, butter and salt. Stir well until smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool until the cake is ready.

Prepare the pecan chocolate cake layers. 

• Preheat the oven to 300F (150C). Place pecans on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes.
• Cool slightly and chop the pecans in smaller pieces.
• Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease three 8-inch (20cm) pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
• In another bowl mix the oil and sugar until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, vanilla extract and mix to combine.
• Add sour cream and mix to combine. With the mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture. Make sure to not overmix the batter. Add the melted chocolate and chopped pecans and stir to incorporate.
• Divide batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake for 10-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs.
• Let them cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Prepare caramel cream cheese frosting.

• In a bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and 1/3 cup (80g) of caramel sauce.
• In another bowl whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.

Assemble the cake.

• Place the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a ½ inch (1cm) plain tip. Add a bit of frosting onto the serving platter. Place one cake layer and arrange to be centered. Pipe a border of frosting and spread ¼ cup (60g) caramel sauce over the cake. Cover with cream cheese frosting.
• Place the second layer of cake. Pipe a border of frosting and spread ¼ cup (60g) caramel sauce over the cake. Cover with cream cheese frosting. Place the third layer of cake. Spread the remaining frosting on top and sides of the cake. 
• Use an offset spatula, take a small portion of caramel sauce and spread on sides. Smooth the cake.
• Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.

Meanwhile prepare caramel sail.

• Place the sugar and water in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook without stirring until sugar dissolves and gets a caramel color.
• Remove from heat and let cool a bit until slightly thickens.
• Pour over a silicone mat and place the silicone mat over a bowl or glass.
• Use paper clips to get a desired shape.
• Let it set for 30 minutes and then remove the silicone mat.
• Place the sail on top of the cake and serve with remaining caramel sauce.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving out of 12Calories: 723kcalCarbohydrates: 58.4gProtein: 10.3gFat: 53.1gSaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 157mgSugar: 40.5g

Calories: 723kcal

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caramel cake, caramel sail, chocolate cake, chocolate salted caramel cake, cream cheese frosting, salted caramel