Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Chocolate, meet Caramel...

Well as most of you may know by now, as far as I'm concerned, if it's not chocolate or caramel why eat it?
Am I right?
Well even if you don't agree with that bold statement as if you could refuse anything that is chocolate and caramel. There is no better pairing in this world than that of a rich chocolate and a velvety salty sweet caramel. 


End. Of. Post.






Just kidding, there's more. 
So whenever I send my menu out people usually stop looking when they see the Chocolate Cake soaked with Sea Salted Caramel and layered with Caramel Frosting.


Drool


I don't really blame them though, I would also stop looking.  I'm such a sucker for this pairing and I thought why keep this all to myself?
 I have to share my super amazing knowledge with the entire world (because I'm very sure that the entire world reads this blog... don't they?)


So without further adieu here is my super special chocolate cake recipe, all the way from my Grandmother's recipe box. I hope you make it! 



Excellent Fluffy Chocolate Cake

(That's seriously what it's called, doesn't that title alone make you want to make it?)

3/4 cup softened butter
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
7 1/2 tbsp cocoa
1 1/8 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1.  Cream butter, sugar, and eggs together until very light and fluffy.
2.   Mix all the dry ingredients together.
3.  Alternate dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture. 
4.  Add boiling water and vanilla and beat until just blended. 
5.  Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan or two 8 inch round pans. 
6.  Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes.


Once you make it you can either let it cool and then ice, or poke holes in the hot cake and pour warm caramel over the whole thing... and to be honest, why wouldn't you do that? 
But if you have self control cool the cake, and layer it with frosting swirled with caramel and your guests (or just you) will know who's boss.

Photo courtesy of Kyle Chow after some om nom-ing