Chocolate Caramel Decadence Cake Recipe | Ultimate Cake Off

Clemence Gossett created this recipe for Chocolate Caramel Decadence in the first season of TLC's 'Ultimate Cake Off'.

YIELD Makes one 10", 4-layer cake.

INGREDIENTS

Cake 4 sticks butter 3 3/4 cups water 2 tsps salt 4 cups sugar 3 2/3 cups unbleached flour 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder 4 tsps baking soda 5 large eggs 3/4 cup plain yogurt Milk Chocolate Ganache 1 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 cup chopped milk chocolate pieces Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate pieces (semi-sweet chocolate will do) Salted Caramel Ganache 1 cup chocolate (semi-sweet, milk or dark) 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 stick butter 1 Tablespoon brown rice syrup 1/2 cup sugar pinch of sea salt

PREPARATION:

Cake

1. Place the butter, 1 cup water and salt in a medium saucepot and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining (cold) water.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and baking soda.
3. Pour the butter mixture over into the large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon just until the ingredients are incorporated.
4. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the yogurt and whisk until smooth.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 10" pans by either buttering the bottom and sides or lining the bottom with parchment paper rounds and buttering the sides.
6. Pour batter into the pans and bake for 20-30 minutes (or until the middle springs back when you poke it). Cool and refrigerate.

   Variation: Chocolate-Banana Cake; replace plain yogurt with Banana Yogurt!

Milk Chocolate Ganache

1. Place the milk chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer.
2. Pour the cream over the chocolate pieces. Let sit for 30 seconds and stir slowly until the cream melts the chocolate and a smooth (and delicious)! ganache forms.
3. Refrigerate before using.

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache

1. Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer.
2. Pour the cream over the chocolate pieces. Let sit for 30 seconds and stir slowly until the cream melts the chocolate and a smooth ganache forms.
3. Refrigerate before using.

Salted Caramel Ganache

1. Bring the cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepot, turn off heat and set aside. Place the chocolate in a separate medium bowl.
2. Place the sugar and brown rice syrup in a medium saucepot and, over medium-low heat, slowly melt until you reach an even, amber color.
3. As soon as your sugar reaches its color, grab a long wooden spoon, pour the cream and butter over the sugar and stir until smooth (this will bubble up and steam, so you may want to wear an oven mitt).
4. Pour this mixture over the chocolate and stir just until the chocolate is melted.
5. Set aside to set.

Building Your Cake*

1. Using a bread knife, trim just a bit off the tops of each cake and cut each cake into 2 layers.
2. Place your bottom layer on a cake round or large, flat plate. Spread the salted ganache on top of this layer. Top with second layer.
3. Spread half the milk chocolate ganache over the second layer and top with the third layer.**

   **You may find it easier to freeze your cake after each addition of ganache for 10 minutes.

4. Spread the bittersweet ganache and place the top layer on the cake.
5. Warm the milk chocolate ganache a bit and pour over your cake, starting at the top and letting it gently cascade down the sides.

   *You may have extra ganache (depending on how thick you like it between the layers)! It will keep for a week in your fridge.

This recipe appears in: Cakes