Caramel Cappuccino Cake

Caramel Cappuccino Cake

Cake.

• • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 can (14 ounces) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk

Buttercream.

• • 2 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 5 cups powdered sugar

  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder

  • 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 3 tablespoons espresso powder

  • 3 tablespoons whole milk

  • Dulce de Leche, slightly warmed

Cake.

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease three 8-inch pans with non-stick spray.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and beat for another minute.

In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the coconut milk, starting and ending with the flour.

Divide the batter between the pans. Bake until done, about 21-25 minutes, then set the pans on a wire rack, covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel, until cooled completely.

Buttercream.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute until smooth. Combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder, cocoa powder and salt, and add by spoonfuls to the mixing bowl while mixing on low. Combine the vanilla, espresso powder and milk in a small bowl to dissolve the espresso powder, then add to the buttercream. Whip buttercream on medium high, scraping the bowl occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until very light and fluffy.

Assembly.

Before assembling and frosting the cake, the dulce de leche should be warmed up to a spreadable consistency, but not so hot that it melts the buttercream. You can thin it with a bit of warm cream if it's too thick.

Place one of the cooled cakes on a cake board and spread with a layer of buttercream. Spoon some of the dulce de leche over the buttercream. Repeat with the second layer of cake, then top with the last layer of cake and frost all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream. Chill for 20 minutes, then frost with a final coat of buttercream. Add a decorative piped border around the top edge, then spoon more dulce de leche on top of the cake. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen