Chocolate-Caramel Layer Cake

Why this recipe works:

Many chocolate-caramel cakes barely contain enough caramel flavor to merit the name. To ensure caramel flavor in each bite, we sandwich three layers of thick but spreadable caramel filling between layers of deep, dark, moist chocolate cake. For a not-too-sweet caramel that is spreadable but thick enough to stand out between the layers, we cook it until it’s dark (but not burnt) and add extra butter to ensure that it sets up at room temperature and does not ooze. Our thick, satiny chocolate frosting comes together in the food processor in minutes.

Serves 12

Baking spray that contains flour can be used to grease and flour the pans. Both natural and Dutch-processed cocoa will work in this recipe. When taking the temperature of the caramel in steps 3 and 4, remove the pot from the heat and tilt the pan to one side. Use your thermometer to stir the caramel back and forth to equalize hot and cool spots and make sure you are getting an accurate reading.

Ingredients

• Cake

• 1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Caramel Filling

• 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• Frosting

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1/4—1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional)

Instructions

1. 
   
   1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Sift flour and cocoa into large bowl. Whisk in sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk buttermilk, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla together in second bowl. Whisk buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until smooth batter forms. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula.
   2. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, at least 2 hours.
   3. FOR THE CARAMEL FILLING: Lightly grease 8-inch square baking pan. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture is amber colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, swirling saucepan occasionally, until dark amber, 2 to 5 minutes longer. (Caramel will register between 375 and 380 degrees.)
   4. Off heat, carefully stir in cream, butter, vanilla, and salt (mixture will bubble and steam). Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until smooth and caramel reaches 240 to 245 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer caramel to prepared pan and let cool until just warm to touch (100 to 105 degrees), 20 to 30 minutes.
   5. FOR THE FROSTING: Process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. (Frosting can be made 3 hours in advance. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate frosting. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.)
   6. Using long serrated knife, score 1 horizontal line around sides of each cake layer; then, following scored lines, cut each layer into 2 even layers. 7. Using rubber spatula or large spoon, transfer 1/3 of caramel to center of 1 cake layer and use small offset spatula to spread over surface, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Repeat with remaining caramel and 2 of remaining cake layers. (Three of your cake layers should be topped with caramel.)
   8. Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment to keep platter clean. Place 1 caramel-covered cake layer on platter. Top with second caramel-covered layer. Repeat with third caramel-covered layer and top with final layer. Spread frosting evenly over sides and top of cake. Carefully remove parchment strips. Let cake stand for at least 1 hour. (Cake can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature for at least 5 hours before serving.) Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if using. Cut and serve.
   
   
   

Technique

Don't Be Afraid of Caramel

Caramel is simply sugar (sucrose) that’s been heated until it melts, browns, and develops complex flavor. You can use it to make a fluid caramel sauce or chewy or hard candy by adding cream, butter, and other flavorings. The longer the mixture cooks, the more water will evaporate and the stiffer the caramel will become.
Though caramel gets a bad rap for being finicky to make, with the right recipe, it’s easy to overcome its two main pitfalls: The sugar can melt unevenly and burn, or it can seize up and crystallize. The latter happens when some of the sucrose molecules are not hot enough to melt and break down into glucose and fructose and instead bond, creating a grainy texture. Here’s what we do to make a caramel that works.

Technique

Essential Techniques

ADD WATER: Water, which makes a “wet caramel,” helps the sugar dissolve and spread across the pan so that it melts evenly and reduces the risk that some sugar burns before the rest caramelizes.
ADD CORN SYRUP, NOT ACID: Adding acid or corn syrup to sugar as it caramelizes can prevent crystallization; both ingredients interfere with sucrose’s ability to bond with itself.
ACIDS: A small amount of lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar speeds the breakdown of sucrose into fructose and glucose. These molecules dilute the remaining sucrose molecules, decreasing their chances of bonding together before they, too, can break down.
CORN SYRUP: Corn syrup already contains glucose molecules (and water); thus, it dilutes the sucrose molecules faster. For this reason, we prefer it over acids.
USE A HEAVY-BOTTOM SAUCEPAN: Sugar is prone to burning in lightweight cookware, which does not transfer heat evenly. A heavy saucepan helps the sugar cook evenly.
USE TWO LEVELS OF HEAT: Over high heat the sugar can heat unevenly or even burn, but over low heat it can crystallize. That’s because there will be enough heat to evaporate the water, but not enough to melt the sugar, so the sucrose molecules
can bond. We melt the sugar over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to low to prevent it from burning.

Technique

"Tips" to Avoid

As long as you cook the sugar over a hot enough flame, it will melt, so skip these common caramel techniques.

STIRRING: Stirring the sugar to help it melt isn’t necessary. We simply swirl the pan occasionally as the syrup cooks to even out hot spots.
WASHING/COVERING: Brushing the walls of the pot with a wet pastry brush and covering the saucepan to create condensation are both meant to “rinse” away any sugar molecules that might be clinging to the sides, but they will melt eventually anyway.

Technique

TECHNIQUE: TAKING THE TEMPERATURE OF CARAMEL

Before inserting an instant-read thermometer (which we prefer to a candy thermometer) into the caramel, swirl the caramel to even out any hot spots. Then tilt the pot so that the caramel pools 1 to 2 inches deep and move the thermometer back and forth in the caramel for about 5 seconds before taking a reading. If using a clip-on thermometer, swirl the caramel for at least 15 seconds and tilt the caramel toward the probe.

Technique

Perfecting the Caramel Filling

Our caramel filling is soft enough to spread on the cake layers but not so fluid that it soaks into the cake or drips down the sides of a cut slice.

SOFT, BUT NOT RUNNY

Technique

Do I Really Need to Use Parchment Paper?

It may sound like overkill, but the most effective way to ensure that a cake releases cleanly from a baking pan is to grease the pan, line it with parchment paper, and then grease and flour the parchment and pan sides. The parchment guarantees that the cake pulls away from the pan bottom completely, and a coat of grease and flour on the parchment and up the pan sides helps the batter cling and rise and ensures that the parchment pulls away from the cake bottom without removing large crumbs.

GOT STUCK: Just grease and flour.

CLEAN RELEASE: Grease, flour, and parchment.

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Raspberry Charlotte

Why this recipe works:

The classic Charlotte Russe, a grand dessert consisting of a Bavarian cream encased in sponge cake, has fallen out of favor, partly because it’s fussy to make, and partly because lean sponge cake and bouncy gelatinized mousse don’t hold much appeal for modern cooks. In our recipe, we swap the sponge for a simple and quick-baking chiffon cake, which is tender and moist but sufficiently sturdy. Instead of basing our filling on a high-moisture crème anglaise, we use a more foolproof homemade raspberry curd lightened with whipped cream with just enough gelatin to give it structure, and we pack in a full pound of berries for bright fruit flavor. Finishing with a swirl of raspberry jam and fresh berries gives our charlotte visual appeal and an extra jolt of flavor.

Serves 12 to 16

It is fine to use frozen raspberries in the filling. Thaw frozen berries completely before using and use any collected juices, too. It is important to measure the berries for the filling by weight. If you wish to garnish the top of the charlotte with berries, arrange 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh berries (depending on size) around the edge of the assembled charlotte before refrigerating. For clean, neat slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry before each slice.

Ingredients

• Filling

• 1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 large egg yolks (reserve whites for cake)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 pound (3 1/4 cups) fresh or thawed frozen raspberries
• 2/3 cup (4 2/3 ounces) sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Pinch salt
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream

• Jam Mixture

• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

• Cake

• 2/3 cup (2 2/3 ounces) cake flour
• 6 tablespoons (2 2/3 ounces) sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg plus 3 large egg whites (reserved from filling)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

1. 
   
   1. FOR THE FILLING: Sprinkle gelatin over water in large bowl and set aside. Whisk egg yolks and cornstarch together in medium bowl until combined. Combine raspberries, sugar, butter, and salt in medium saucepan. Mash lightly with whisk and stir until no dry sugar remains. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until mixture is simmering and raspberries are almost completely broken down, 4 to 6 minutes.
   2. Remove raspberry mixture from heat and, whisking constantly, slowly add 1/2 cup raspberry mixture to yolk mixture to temper. Whisking constantly, return tempered yolk mixture to mixture in saucepan. Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles, about 1 minute. Pour through fine-mesh strainer set over gelatin mixture and press on solids with back of ladle or rubber spatula until only seeds remain. Discard seeds and stir raspberry mixture until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until curd is slightly thickened and reaches room temperature, at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour 15 minutes.
   3. FOR THE JAM MIXTURE: Sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice in small bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Heat jam in microwave, whisking occasionally, until hot and fluid, 30 to 60 seconds. Add softened gelatin to jam and whisk until dissolved. Set aside.
   4. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 8-inch round cake pan and 8-inch square baking pan, line with parchment paper, and lightly grease parchment. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk oil, whole egg, water, and vanilla into flour mixture until smooth batter forms.
   5. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer one-third of egg whites to batter; whisk gently until mixture is lightened. Using rubber spatula, gently fold remaining egg whites into batter.
   6. Pour 1 cup batter into round pan and spread evenly. Pour remaining batter into square pan and spread evenly. Place pans on rimmed baking sheet and bake until cakes spring back when pressed lightly in center and surface is no longer sticky, 8 to 11 minutes (round cake, which is shallower, will be done before square cake). Cakes should not brown.
   7. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes. Invert round cake onto wire rack. Carefully remove parchment, then reinvert onto second wire rack. Repeat with square cake. Let cool completely, at least 15 minutes.
   8. Place round cake in center of serving platter. Spread with 2 tablespoons jam mixture. Place ring from 9-inch springform pan around cake, leaving equal space on all sides. Leave clasp of ring slightly loose. Using sharp chef’s knife, trim 1/8 inch off all edges of square cake. Spread square cake with 2 tablespoons jam mixture. Cut cake in half. Cut each half lengthwise into two pieces to make four equal-size long strips. Place cake strips vertically around round cake, jam side in, taking care to nestle ends together neatly. Fasten clasp of springform ring.
   9. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer one-third of whipped cream to curd; whisk gently until mixture is lightened. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in remaining cream until mixture is homogenous.
   10. Pour filling into cake ring and spread evenly to edge. (Surface of filling will be above edge of cake.) Drizzle remaining jam mixture over surface of filling. Using knife, swirl jam through surface of filling, making marbled pattern. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or up to 24 hours.
   11. To unmold, run thin knife around edge of ring (just 1/2 inch down). Release ring and lift to remove. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
   
   
   

Technique

The Many Forms of Flawed Charlottes

While the components of tender sponge cake and creamy fruit filling were a constant in all the charlotte recipes we tried, how the two came together varied. In the end, all the traditional recipes that we tried looked quite different, yet they all had serious flaws.

DOESN'T BEAR FRUIT: Lacks fruit flavor.

ROLL ON BY: Requires ultrafussy jelly roll cake.

LEAK-PRONE: Filling seeps out.

Technique

Making Raspberry Charlotte

MAKE CURD: Prepare and strain raspberry curd. Set aside and stir occasionally.

PREPARE JAM MIXTURE: While curd cools, prepare jam and gelatin mixture and set aside.

BAKE CAKES: Bake cakes and let them cool completely.

PREPARE BASE AND SIDES: Spread cakes with jam, cut square cake into strips, and assemble in pan.

ADD FILLING: Whip cream and fold into curd; then pour filling into cake-lined pan.

SWIRL AND GARNISH: Drizzle remaining jam mixture over cake and swirl. Garnish with berries.

Technique

Bye-Bye Bounce

Traditionally, charlotte russe’s filling is a Bavarian cream, in which a custard sauce known as crème anglaise gets combined with gelatin, whipped cream, and a fruit puree. The problem is that crème anglaise is so fluid that the filling requires a lot of gelatin to make it sliceable—which in turn creates an unappealing bouncy consistency. The solution? Instead of the usual crème anglaise as the main component of the filling, we turned to a fruit curd. The curd naturally has a more set—but not bouncy—consistency, so we were able to use less gelatin to get the necessary texture.

UH-OH: JELL-O
Most fillings are overloaded with gelatin, giving them an unappealing bouncy texture.

Technique

Piece(s) of Cake

Surrounding a charlotte’s creamy filling with sponge cake ladyfingers, as is often depicted in classic representations of this old-world dessert, certainly seems elegant. But in reality, the ladyfingers don’t work that well—the filling seeps between the gaps, plus they taste lean and their texture is chewy. In our recipe, we swap the sponge for a more tender and rich chiffon cake. We bake part of it in a round cake pan and the rest in a square pan. The round cake serves as the base, while we cut the square cake into strips that fit snugly around its perimeter.

SPRINGFORM PAN: The charlotte is constructed inside the ring of the springform pan, right on the serving platter.

A SQUARE FOR THE SIDES: An 8-inch square cake is cut into four strips and used to line the sides of the pan.
JAM ON THE INSIDE: A mixture of jam, gelatin, and lemon juice is spread onto the cakes before assembly.

A ROUND BASE: A thin 8-inch round cake serves as the bottom of our charlotte.

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