Name: Million Dollar Layer Cake (Standard)
Prep time: 1 h 36 min
Cook time: 2 h 24 min
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour; 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar; 3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder; 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder; 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda; 1 tsp Salt; 1 cup Buttermilk; 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil; 2 Large Eggs; 2 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1 cup Boiling Water; 1 cup Granulated Sugar; 1/4 cup Water; 1/2 cup Butter-softened; 1/4 cup Heavy Cream; 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1/4 tsp Salt

Recipe tier

A rich and decadent layer cake with a creamy caramel frosting. This version uses readily available ingredients and straightforward techniques.

Total 4h

Serves 12

Steps 11

Ingredients 17

Soundtrack the cook

Sunday sunshine · 180 minutes

Music paced for prep, cooking, plating, and the reset after dinner.

Prep 96m Cook 144m Plate 5m Reset 10m

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Cake
2 cups 280 g All-Purpose Flour
1 cups 300 g Granulated Sugar
cup 75 g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tsp 7.5 mL Baking Powder
1 tsp 7.5 mL Baking Soda
1 tsp 5 mL Salt
1 cup 240 mL Buttermilk
cup 120 mL Vegetable Oil
2 2 Large Eggs
2 tsp 10 mL Vanilla Extract
1 cup 240 mL Boiling Water
Caramel Frosting
1 cup 200 g Granulated Sugar
cup 60 mL Water
cup 115 g Butter-softened
cup 60 mL Heavy Cream
1 tsp 5 mL Vanilla Extract
tsp 1.25 mL Salt

Equipment

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Instructions

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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the Cake ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).
Add buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Gradually add boiling water to the batter and mix until combined. Batter will be thin.
Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the Caramel Frosting, combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber color.
Remove from heat and carefully whisk in butter. The mixture will bubble vigorously.
Slowly pour in heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt.
Let frosting cool slightly until it thickens to a spreadable consistency.
Once cakes are completely cool, frost the top of one layer, then place the second layer on top. Frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting.