Chocolate Caramel Toffee Crunch Cake
Decadent chocolate layer cake filled with caramel and topped with crunchy toffee and chocolate chips.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup store-bought caramel sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup toffee bits
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Butter or nonstick spray and flour for the pans
- Optional parchment paper circles for lining pans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, lining the bottoms with parchment paper if using, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Add the eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla bean paste to the dry ingredients. Beat with a hand mixer or whisk until the batter is smooth and glossy, stopping as soon as everything is well combined.
- Pour in the boiling water gradually, whisking as you go, until the batter is very thin and uniform.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and tap each pan gently on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
- Bake the cakes for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edges, invert onto the rack, peel off any parchment, and let the layers cool completely.
- In a small bowl, stir together the caramel sauce and heavy cream until smooth and slightly loosened, with a consistency similar to thick honey.
- Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spoon and spread about half of the caramel mixture over the top, stopping just short of the edges so it does not spill over too much when layered.
- Place the second cake layer on top, centering it carefully. Spoon the remaining caramel mixture over the top, allowing a little to drip down the sides if desired.
- Immediately sprinkle the toffee bits and chocolate chips evenly over the top caramel layer, lightly pressing them so they adhere.
- For clean slices, chill the assembled cake for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before adding the caramel or the filling will slide and thin out.
- If your caramel sauce is already very pourable, add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until it is thick but spreadable, and reserve any extra cream for another use.
- If your caramel sauce is already very pourable, add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until it is thick but spreadable, and reserve any extra cream for another use.