TRIPLE LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE COATED IN CARAMEL BUTTER CREAM, TOPPED WITH SALTED CARAMEL AND DECORATED WITH CHOCOLATE DIPPED COCONUT MACAROONS

MAKE CHOCOLATE CAKES- RECIPE BY INA (DOUBLE THIS RECIPE MAKING 4 LAYERS AND RESERVE ONE LAYER FOR ANOTHER USE AS YOU WILL ONLY NEED 3)

Ingredients (RECIPE BY INA)

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
• Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Directions

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Chill until ready to assemble.

make caramel for top of cake and butter cream
SALTED CARAMEL RECIPES-

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp salted butter
3/4 tsp coarse sea salt

Method to make the caramel sauce:

1. Spread the sugar in an even layer in a large metal pot, at least 6 quarts. Set over a moderate heat and cook without stirring, until the sugar near the edge just starts to liquefy.

2. Use a wooden spoon and begin stirring, encouraging the melted sugar around the edges toward the center, delicately stirring up any sugar melting on the bottom as well. The sugar will start to look pebbly as it cooks, but keep going until it is melted completely and an amber color. If you think it is cooking too fast, lower the heat and keep stirring. Be patient.

3. Continue to cook until the sugar turns deep brown. Once brown, take it off of the heat!!!!

4. Time to add the cream but here is my trick….only add a DROP at a time and stir, stir, stir. This will eliminate the seizing of your caramel and you will love me for this trick. Keep adding a drop at a time and stirring until all of the cream is mixed in. Be patient…you have a lot of cream so this will take a few minutes. Once smooth, add butter and salt. Let cool. Will store in fridge up to one month. HA! As if it will last that long…ever!!!! TOO delicious!!

Salted Caramel Frosting
2 sticks butter at room temperature
8 ounces of cream cheese
3-4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup salted caramel (recipe above)
1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.
2. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar into the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat to combine.
3. Add 1 cup of the salted caramel and beat to combine.

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
make small to get 10-15
14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
chocolate of your choice for melting (melt chips in microwave in a wide bowl for easy dipping)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking! In a bowl, mix the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla.

Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment until medium-firm peaks. Fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop. Should look like mounds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and dip the bottoms into any type of chocolate you like. Chill until assembly.

Assembly-cake, buttercream, cake, buttercream, cake and coat whole cake with buttercream. Pour some caramel on top (i chilled it first to thicken it) and let it drip down the sides. Chill and then top with your macaroons! Line bottom of cake with pecans!