I have been married to a wonderful Christian man since 1976. The Lord has blessed us with two daughters and two sons. I consider each day the Lord gives me on the earth yet another chance to serve Him.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Snickers Chocolate Caramel Cake

Time consuming but well worth the effort.   This is what a consider a special occasion cake.  Make it for someone special in your life.



SNICKERS CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CAKE
(serves 12)

Sea Salt Caramel Ingredients:
*1/2 cup heavy cream
*1 teaspoon sea salt
*1 cup white sugar
*2 tablespoons light corn syrup
*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*1/3 cup sour cream

Cake Ingredients:
*1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
*2 cups sugar
*3/4 cups cocoa powder
*2 teaspoons baking soda
*1 teaspoon baking powder
*1 teaspoon kosher salt
*1 cup buttermilk, shaken
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*3 large eggs, room temperature
*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Sea Salt Buttercream Ingredients:
*3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
*1 cup sea salt caramel
*2 pounds powdered sugar
*2 snickers bars, cut up into small pieces

Sea Salt Caramel Directions:
~Combine cream & salt in a small saucepan, over low heat until salt is dissolved.
~Set aside.
~In a medium saucepan, add sugar & corn syrup.  
~Cook over high heat, swirling not stirring mixture, until mixture in very light amber color (watch carefully, mixture will burn easy).
~Remove from heat (the mixture will continue cooking, and the color will darken to a caramel color).
~Stir in cream mixture & vanilla.
~Whisk in sour cream.
~Let cool to room temperature, and transfer to refrigerator in a cover container until ready to use.

Cake Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Butter 2 (9 inch) round cake pans.
~Line with parchment paper, then butter & flour the pans.
~Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, & salt into a mixing bowl.
~Mix on low speed until mixed well.
~In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs & vanilla.
~Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, while mixer is at low speed.
~Add the coffee, and mix just enough to combine, scraping the bottom & sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
~Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans.
~Bake for 38-42 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
~Cool in pans for 30 minutes.
~Turn cake out of pans onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Sea Salt Buttercream Directions:
~Cream butter in mixing bowl.
~Stir in caramel until just combined.
~Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on medium speed (scrape sides of bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition).

 Assemble Cake:
~Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a cake plate.
~Spread a generous layer of buttercream on top.
~Sprinkle half of the snickers on top of the buttercream.
~Drizzle a little caramel over the snickers.
~Top with second layer of cake (trimmed & leveled if necessary).
~Brush away any loose crumbs.

Two options for finishing cake:
~Spread buttercream on top and sides of cake, drizzle a small amount of caramel over top and sprinkle with remaining snickers.
~(this step is optional) Pipe some buttercream around top of cake & flood the top with caramel and sprinkle with rest of the snickers.

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