Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce a decadent treat is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a birthday celebration or a simple dinner party. The rich chocolate flavor of this homemade cake is perfectly complemented by the sweet and buttery caramel sauce, making for a truly indulgent dessert experience.
There are many variations of chocolate caramel cake with caramel sauce, each with their own unique twist. This chocolate cake recipe from scratch is fairly simple to make and calls for basic ingredients that are most likely already in your kitchen!
The History of Chocolate Cake
The first chocolate cake recipe in the United States was published in 1847 by a woman named Eliza Leslie. Her recipe called for grated chocolate and was similar to a modern-day devil’s food cake. Today, chocolate cake remains a popular dessert around the world. It is often served with a variety of toppings, including frosting, whipped cream, and caramel sauce. Speaking of caramel sauce, it pairs perfectly with chocolate cake, adding a rich and sweet flavor to this already decadent dessert.
Some recipes for chocolate cake call for a dense, fudgy cake, while others opt for a lighter, more airy texture. The caramel sauce can also vary, with some recipes using a simple mixture of sugar and cream, while others incorporate additional ingredients like butter, vanilla, or even whiskey. Regardless of the recipe, the combination of chocolate and caramel is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Why You Will Love This Caramel Cake Recipe
- Moist and Rich: This chocolate cake is moist and rich, with a deep chocolate flavor that will satisfy any chocolate lover’s cravings. The caramel sauce adds a sweet, buttery flavor that complements the chocolate perfectly.
- Easy to Make: This recipe is easy to follow, even for beginners. With just a few simple ingredients and some basic baking skills, you can have a delicious chocolate cake with caramel sauce in no time.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just want to treat yourself to a delicious dessert, this chocolate cake with caramel sauce is the perfect choice. It’s great for birthdays, dinner parties, or just a cozy night in.
Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
Butter: You will need 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) of unsalted butter. I sometimes replace half the butter with oil, to make the cake super moist. Whichever you decide the results will taste amazing.
Cocoa powder: Using 1 ¼ cups of unsweetened cocoa powder will provide a perfect chocolatey flavor.
Water: You will be dissolving the cocoa powder in 1 ¼ cup of hot water, heating it in the microwave for ease.
Flour: Use 3 cups of all-purpose flour for the structural base of this cake recipe.
Salt: Adding in 1 ¼ tsp. of coarse salt will provide a great balance of flavor in this cake recipe.
Leavening agents: You need 1 tsp. of baking powder and 1 tsp. of baking soda, to give this cake a beautiful fluffy texture.
Sugar: Using 2 ¼ cups of granulated sugar will help make the treat nice and sweet.
Eggs: For great texture and taste, you need to add in 4 large eggs to this cake batter.
Vanilla extract: Use 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract to help enhance all the wonderful flavors in this cake.
Sour cream: Adding in 1 cup of sour cream will give this cake even more incredible moisture.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Vegetable shortening: You will need 1 cup of solid white vegetable shortening to make the frosting nice and creamy. You can also use butter if you prefer.
Vanilla flavoring: Use 1 tsp. of clear vanilla flavoring to give this frosting delicious flavor. The Wilton flavoring is my favorite.
Milk or water: You need 7 tsp. of water or milk for the much-needed moisture, I prefer milk because it gives it a richer flavor.
Powder sugar: For this frosting recipe, you will need 1 LB of powdered sugar (or pure cane confectioners sugar).
Salt: Adding in just a pinch of salt will be a great balance to the sweetness of this frosting.
Cake filling
Caramel sauce: You will need one 8-ounce jar of caramel sauce for the savory addition to this cake.
White chocolate chips: If desired, grab a small bag of white chocolate chips for added deliciousness to this cake.
How to make Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce
Prep
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.
Then, spray two 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and set them aside.
Cake batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. Set it aside.
Next, in a separate small bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set it aside.
Then, melt the butter/oil and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. You can also melt the butter and sugar in the microwave if you want to save time.
Once melted, remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl of a mixer stand. Beat at medium-low speed until cooled, this could take up to 15 minutes. You can also use a handheld electric mixer for this step, but it will require commitment and time.
Next, add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture after each egg addition.
After that, stir in the vanilla extract and add the cocoa powder mixture to the sugar/egg mixture. Reduce speed to low.
Now, start adding in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour (½ the amount of flour, then all the sour cream, then the last half of the flour mixture). Beat until just combined, be careful not to over mix.
Bake
Proceed to divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
After removing the cakes from the oven, leave them in the pan for no more than 5 minutes, then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
While the cake is cooling, it is time to make the frosting!
In a medium-size bowl, cream together the shortening, clear vanilla extract, and water or milk. Make sure it is a smooth consistency before moving on.
Then, add the powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Blend together until nice and creamy.
If you find that the frosting is too stiff, keep adding a tablespoon of water or milk until you reach the desired consistency. I added 3-4 extra tablespoons to make it smooth.
Filling the Cake
To fill the cake, I cut the dome off the top of both the cakes, to make them flat. I placed the first cake right side up (with the cut dome on the top) on the cake platter. Then I put a layer of caramel sauce on the bottom layer of the cake. I used about half of a jar of caramel sauce (about 3-4 oz), this will absorb into the cake.
I then put a layer of vanilla buttercream frosting on top of the caramel. Followed by a large sprinkling of white chocolate chips on top of the frosting. This can be as much or as little as you want, or you can skip this step if you don’t want them.
Then, the next layer of cake I placed on top of the white chocolate chips. This was placed on the cake upside-down (with the cut side facing down).
Frosting the cake
For best results while frosting a cake I suggest starting on the top, get that covered and relatively smooth. Then work your way around the sides of the cake to cover them and make them smooth. I use a spatula with long, straight edges for this step. You can also use a butter knife, anything that has a long straight edge will work great.
Once the cake is frosted, place the rest of the caramel sauce in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Then with a spoon slowly drizzle it around the edge of the cake, enough that it will run down the side of the cake. I went around the edge of the cake about 3 times to give it enough sauce for a decent drizzle.
Feel free to add a bit of flair to your cake if you want. I swirled rosettes around the edge of the cake and topped them with black fondant flowers and a pearl sprinkle.
Once the cake is frosted and decorated to your liking, serve, and enjoy!
Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter can replace half with oil if desired
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ tsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 TBSP plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup solid white vegetable shortening (you can use butter)
- 1 tsp clear vanilla flavoring Wilton flavoring is my favorite
- 7 tsp water or milk
- 1 lb powdered sugar (pure cane confectioners sugar)
- 1 Pinch salt (⅛ teaspoon)
Cake filling
- Caramel sauce
- White chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prep: Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Then, spray two 8 inch cake pans with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Then, melt butter/oil and sugar in small saucepan over medium-low heat. You can also melt the butter and sugar in the microwave if you want to save time.
- Once melted, remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl of a mixer stand. Beat on medium-low speed until cooled, this could take up to 15minutes. You can also use a handheld electric mixer for this step, but it will require commitment and time.
- Next, add the eggs, one at a time, beating mixture after each egg addition.
- After that, stir in the vanilla extract and add the cocoa-powder mixture to the sugar/egg mixture. Reduce speed to low.
- Now, start adding in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour (1/2 the amount of flour, then all the sour cream, then the last half of the flour mixture). Beat until just combined, be careful not to over mix.
- Bake: Proceed to divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans. Place in the oven and bake for 45-50minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean.
- After removing the cake pans from the oven, leave the cake in the pans for no more than 5 minutes, then transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Buttercream Frosting: In a medium size bowl, cream together the shortening, clear vanilla extract and water or milk. Make sure it is a smooth consistency before moving on.
- Then, add the confectioners sugar and pinch of salt. Blend together until nice and creamy. If you find that the frosting is too stiff, keep adding a tablespoon of water or milk until you reach the desired consistency. I added 3-4 extra tablespoons to make it really smooth.
- Filling the Cake: To fill the cake, I cut the dome off the top of both the cakes, to make them flat. I placed the first cake right side up (with the cut dome on the top) on the cake platter. Then I put a layer of caramel sauce on bottom layer of the cake. I used about a half of a jar of caramel sauce (about 3-4 oz), this will absorb into the cake.
- I then put a layer of the vanilla butter cream frosting on top of the caramel. Followed by a large sprinkling of white chocolate chips on top of the frosting. This can be as much or as little as you want, or you can skip this step if you don't want them.
- Then, the next layer of cake I placed on top of the white chocolate chips. This was placed on the cake upside-down (with the cut side facing down).
- Frosting the cake: For best results while frosting a cake I suggest starting on the top, get that covered and relatively smooth. Then work you way around the sides of the cake to cover them and make them smooth. I use a spatula with long, straightedges for this step. You can also use a butter knife, anything that has a long straight edge will work great.
- Once the cake is frosted, put the rest of the caramel sauce in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Then with a spoon slowly drizzle it around the edge of the cake, enough that it will run down the side of the cake. I went around the edge of the cake about 3 times to give it enough sauce for a decent drizzle.
- Feel free to add a bit of flare to your cake if you want. I swirled rosettes around the edge of the cake and topped them with black fondant flowers and a pearl sprinkle. Once the cake is frosted and decorated to our liking, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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How to prevent cakes from sticking to the pan:
Make sure to grease the inside of your cake pan well and then add in a dusting of flour to help as well. For chocolate-based cakes, using cocoa powder instead of flour works well but flour is best for the lighter colored cakes. You can also use a nonstick baking spray with flour in the mix to make it a little easier as well but I’ve found that manually adding grease + flour works best as the spray doesn’t always help cakes to come out flawlessly.
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How Long is This Chocolate Cake Good For?
Once the chocolate cake with caramel sauce has been prepared, it’s important to know how long it can be stored and still be safe to eat. Proper storage and handling can help extend the shelf life of the cake.
- If the cake has not been cut or served, it can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, it should be refrigerated to prevent spoilage. When refrigerated, the cake can last up to 5 days.
- If the cake has already been cut or served, it should be covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and stored in the refrigerator. When stored properly, the cake can last up to 3 days.
- It’s important to note that the caramel sauce should be kept separate from the cake until ready to serve. The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When ready to serve, the sauce can be reheated in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave.
Overall, it’s important to use good judgment when consuming leftover cake. If the cake looks or smells off, it’s best to err on the side of caution and discard it.
Can I freeze Homemade Caramel Cake?
You can freeze the baked cake, but I don’t recommend freezing the cake once it is frosted and decorated. The caramel might not hold up well when frozen then defrosted. This cake really is meant for making and enjoying immediately.
Try some of our other favorite chocolate cake recipes here:
- EASY CHERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE
- MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE
- CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE
- ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE
- CHOCOLATE CHIP BUNDT CAKE
- MINT CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE
- EASY CHOCOLATE ZEBRA CAKE
- CHOCOLATE CARAMEL PEANUT BUTTER POKE CAKE
- HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
- REESE’S CHOCOLATE DUMP CAKE
- EASY CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE
Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce is surprisingly easy to make and is a chocolate lover’s dream come true! This homemade cake is a perfect combination of sweet and buttery flavors, making it a heavenly dessert experience.
Alice says
Beautiful! I'm adding this to my pinterest "cake" board.
Kaylynn Zoe Young says
Added to my Pinterest board. WOW-ZA!<br />Kaylynn<br />colbkayandtrae.blogspot.com
Ali @ JamHands.net says
How gorgeous 🙂 Does Sarah have a food blog I could subscribe to? Thanks :)<br /><br />If you don't mind I wanted to invite you to come link up at <a href="http://www.jamhands.net/search/label/Recipe%20Sharing%20Monday%20Party" rel="nofollow">Recipe Sharing Monday</a> and share your favorite recipes. Have a super week. 🙂
Sarah says
Ali – thank you for your website. I will be making many appearances as a guest on this website. I have just started putting my cakes on my own blog. My (Sarah) blog is http://www.sarahleavittcakes.blogspot.com. Enjoy!!
teenagecakeland says
This cake is beautiful! I also love caramel 🙂 I just learned how to make it and it was life changing.