Chocolate Cake with Caramel Frosting

Blame it on Bill!

Bill my co-worker bakes every now and then. I even posted a picture of the pumpkin bread that he gave me which tastes really good. Sometime last week he told me he was craving for a good chocolate cake with caramel frosting and I dared him to bake it and bring some. But Monday came and he didn't have anything. He told me he needs to be in a certain mood to make it. Oh crap! I was already looking forward to it so that last night, I just had to make it myself to ease my craving. It is a little dense but moist, more chocolaty than sweet and the gooey caramel frosting giving the cake the needed sweetness. I didn't make enough caramel so there was none for the filling even as I made a two layer cake. I brought a big chunk to work which I shared with my friends and none for Bill ha ha ha....

Chocolate Cake with Caramel Frosting

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 cup boiling water or flavored or regular coffee

Method:
Cream butter and sugar; stir in baking soda to milk then add eggs and the vanilla
Sift together and add the rest of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat. Add the boiling water or coffee last (batter will be thin or runny but don't panic)
Divide the batter and bake in two pans at 350 degrees F for 25-28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Caramel Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla
3/4 cup heavy cream

Method:
Melt sugar and butter and mix together well. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat when it thickens but not too thick. Pour some over one layer then top with the other cake. Pour the rest of the caramel over and chill before serving.