All Of The Above Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment; lightly flour the sides.

Whisk together the dry ingredients: in a large bowl combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp fine sea salt until evenly mixed.

Cream the fats: in a separate large bowl beat 1 cup room-temperature unsalted butter and 1/2 cup vegetable oil on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla: beat in 4 large eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next, then beat in 2 tbsp vanilla extract.

Alternate wet and dry: with the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry mixture, then half of 1.5 cups buttermilk, then another third of dry, the remaining buttermilk, and finish with the last third of dry. Mix until just combined — do not overmix.

Divide batter for flavors: remove about 1 1/2 cups of batter into a separate bowl for making the chocolate swirl portion, and remove 1/2 cup of batter into a small bowl to mix with the citrus zest (these portions will be folded back into the main batter to create 'all of the above' layers).

Prepare chocolate swirl batter: to the 1 1/2 cups reserved batter whisk in 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee, and 1/4 cup brown sugar until smooth and well combined. The cocoa will thin the batter slightly; if too thick, stir in 1–2 tbsp buttermilk to reach dropping consistency.

Prepare citrus batter: to the 1/2 cup reserved batter stir in 2 tbsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp orange zest, and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice until evenly combined.

Layer the pans: divide the remaining plain batter between the two prepared pans (leave room for the chocolate and citrus portions). Dollop the chocolate batter over one pan in concentric circles or in blotches and swirl with a knife to create marbling. In the other pan, dollop the citrus batter over and gently swirl. Alternatively, create three thin alternating layers by pouring plain, chocolate, plain, citrus if you prefer distinct ribbons — either method yields a multi-flavor effect.

Bake until done: bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with few moist crumbs. Baking time may vary depending on pan depth.

Cool: allow cakes to cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove parchment, and cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting.

Make caramel: in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup granulated sugar in an even layer. Without stirring, let the sugar begin to melt around the edges. Using a heatproof spatula or by gently swirling the pan, encourage even melting.

Caramelize: when the sugar has mostly melted and turned a deep amber (watch closely to avoid burning), add 6 tbsp unsalted butter and whisk carefully — mixture will bubble vigorously. Continue cooking and whisking about 1 minute until butter is melted and incorporated.

Finish caramel: remove from heat and carefully whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream (mixture will steam and bubble). Stir until smooth, then whisk in 1 tsp sea salt. Let cool to warm (not piping hot) before drizzling; the caramel will thicken as it cools.

Beat cream cheese and butter: in a large bowl, beat 12 oz room-temperature cream cheese and 1/2 cup room-temperature unsalted butter until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla: with the mixer on low, gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar until incorporated, then increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract. Taste and adjust sweetness; if frosting is too soft, chill 10–15 minutes and re-whip briefly.

Level cakes: if needed, level the cooled cake layers with a serrated knife or cake leveler so they stack evenly.

First layer: place one cake layer (chocolate-marble or plain-citrus, whichever you prefer) on a cake board or serving plate. Spread a thin crumb coat (about 1/3 cup) of cream cheese frosting to seal crumbs.

Middle layers: add the second layer and spread another thin layer of frosting between layers to adhere. If you made three distinct ribbons, you can slice layers to stack for more visible stripes.

Final crumb coat: apply a thin crumb coat over the entire cake and chill 15–20 minutes to set.

Finish frosting: apply the remaining cream cheese frosting smoothly over the cake using an offset spatula. Reserve 1/4 cup frosting for piping if desired.

Drizzle caramel: when the salted caramel has cooled to warm (thick but pourable), spoon it into a small squeeze bottle or use a spoon to drizzle over the top edge so it drips down the sides, and add a small pool in the center. Use only as much as desired; reserve leftovers for serving.

Garnish: sprinkle 3/4 cup toasted chopped nuts around the edge or on top, scatter 1/2 cup dark chocolate shavings, and arrange fresh berries if using. Pipe any reserved frosting as decorative dots, and finish with an extra pinch of sea salt over the caramel if you like.

Chill and serve: chill the finished cake 20–30 minutes to set the decoration, then slice with a hot knife (wipe blade between cuts). Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; bring to room temperature 20–30 minutes before serving for best texture.