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Over-the-Top Chocolate Cake Recipe

Over-the-Top Chocolate Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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This chocolate cake looks as awesome as it tastes. The swirls of dulce de leche sauce and toffee topping make it elegant. It’s best to let the frosted cake set up in the fridge before serving.—Vanessa Johnson, Heyburn, Idaho

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Over-the-Top Chocolate Cake Recipe

Prep: 1-1/2 hours Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Yield: 16 Servings

90 20 110

Ingredients

1 teaspoon plus 3/4 cup butter, divided
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
Dash salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CAKE:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
9 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dulce de leche, divided

Directions

Line a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside.
In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, salt and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage). Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Let stand until set, about 1 hour. Break into small pieces.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, water, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Transfer to three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.
Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
In a large bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. In a another bowl, beat cheeses until smooth; add the chocolate, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream and 1/2 cup dulce de leche.
Place bottom cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 2 cups frosting and sprinkle with 1/4 cup toffee. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
Drop remaining dulce de leche by teaspoonfuls over top of cake; cut through frosting with a knife to swirl. Press remaining toffee into top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 16 servings.

Editor’s Notes: We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test. This recipe was tested with Nestle dulce de leche. Look for it in the international foods section.

Nutritional Facts 1 slice equals 781 calories, 49 g fat (24 g saturated fat), 133 mg cholesterol, 504 mg sodium, 80 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 9 g protein.

Originally published as Over-the-Top Chocolate Cake in Country Woman December/January 2012, p42

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Over-the-Top Chocolate Cake

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Reviewed on Nov. 02, 2012 by choney2

I will be making this recipe for the third time in a day or so. It is an awesome recipe and the finished product is restaurant/fine bakery quality. I made my own dulce du leche (found a recipe on Martha Stewarts web site). The final cake has a tendency to shift with all the frosting and layers. Its a great recipe, a lot of work and steps but worth the effort for a special occasion.

Reviewed on Feb. 04, 2012 by Laselle

Cake and filling very light tasting.

I did not make the dulce de leche or toffee

just sprinkled a broken Hershey Bar on top