A.t | 02.2020 Recipe

Preheat and prepare pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans (or line with parchment) and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until evenly combined.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula or whisk until just combined and no large lumps remain.

Carefully stir in the boiling water a little at a time — the batter will thin. This yields a moist, tender crumb.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and tap the pans gently on the counter to remove large air bubbles.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating halfway, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the caramel

Place 1 cup granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a heatproof spatula or whisk as the sugar melts and turns amber. Watch closely to prevent burning.

Once the sugar is a deep amber color, remove from heat and carefully add the 2 tablespoons of butter, whisking until combined. Slowly drizzle in the warm heavy cream while whisking — mixture will bubble vigorously. Return briefly to low heat if needed to dissolve any hardened bits. Allow caramel to cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes).

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the 1 cup room-temperature butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Reduce speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Once incorporated, beat on medium-high for 1 minute to aerate.

Add the cooled caramel to the buttercream along with the vanilla extract and sea salt. Beat on medium speed until fully combined and smooth. If the frosting is too stiff, add hot water 1 teaspoon at a time (up to 1 tablespoon) to reach spreading consistency.

Place the chopped semisweet chocolate and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (double boiler) or microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in the crispy wafer crumbs or crushed toasted pecans until evenly combined. Allow the mixture to cool slightly until just spreadable but not fully set (about 10 minutes). If it firms too much, warm briefly.

Level the cooled cake layers with a serrated knife if domed. Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake turntable.

Spread a generous layer (about 1 cup) of the salted caramel buttercream over the first layer, smoothing to the edges.

Spoon the crunchy chocolate mixture over the buttercream and gently spread to an even layer, leaving a small border so the buttercream can adhere to the next layer.

Place the second cake layer on top and press gently to adhere. Crumb-coat the cake with a thin layer of caramel buttercream (about 1/2 cup) and chill in the refrigerator 20 minutes to set.

Finish frosting the top and sides with the remaining buttercream, smoothing as desired. If you like, pipe a decorative border.

Sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt over the top and scatter chocolate shavings if using. Let the cake sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes before slicing so the caramel softens slightly.