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Salted Caramel Pretzel Crunch Cake

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Rich, ultra-moist chocolate cake layered with silky salted caramel and crunchy pretzel pieces, all wrapped in a light milk-chocolate buttercream for the ultimate sweet-salty celebration. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp espresso powder
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
  • Salted Caramel
  • 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, warmed
  • ½ tsp coarse kosher salt
  • 8 Tbsp (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, cold & cubed
  • Milk-Chocolate Buttercream
  • 10 oz (285 g) milk-chocolate chips, melted & cooled
  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp (40 g) cocoa powder
  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp (80 ml) warm water
  • 2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (180 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • Crunch & Decoration
  • 5 cups miniature salted pretzels, roughly crushed
  • ½ cup whole miniature pretzels, for topping

Instructions

  1. Make the chocolate cake: Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt. Beat in eggs, oil, milk and vanilla for 2 min on medium. Slowly stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Divide among pans and bake 20–22 min; cool completely.
  2. Prepare the salted caramel: Heat sugar and corn syrup over medium-high without stirring until deep amber, 10–12 min. Off heat, carefully whisk in warm cream. Return to heat and cook to 238 °F (114 °C). Transfer to heatproof bowl; stir in salt. Cool 15 min, then whisk in cold butter 1 Tbsp at a time. Chill until thick but pourable.
  3. Make buttercream: Melt chocolate; let cool 15 min. Whisk cocoa with warm water to form a paste. Beat butter and a pinch of salt until pale and fluffy, then beat in confectioners’ sugar. Stream in melted chocolate, then cocoa paste; whip 2 min until light.
  4. Assemble: Dab frosting on cake board. Place first cake layer; pipe a frosting ring around edge. Spread ½ cup caramel inside ring, sprinkle ½ cup crushed pretzels. Repeat with second layer. Top with third layer.
  5. Frost top and thinly coat sides for a “naked” look. Press remaining crushed pretzels around lower third. Chill 10 min.
  6. Finish: Drip remaining caramel over chilled cake, zig-zagging across top. Pipe buttercream stars around rim and nestle whole pretzels between stars. Serve the same day for maximum crunch.

Notes

  • For easy release, line pans with parchment in addition to greasing.
  • If you omit espresso powder, the cake will be slightly less chocolate-forward but still delicious.
  • Use a candy thermometer for caramel—temperature accuracy prevents runny layers.
  • Crush pretzels finely if assembling the night before to minimize sogginess.

Nutrition

Keywords: salted caramel, pretzel crunch, chocolate cake, sweet and salty, party dessert

Find it online: https://yumrecipesnow.com/salted-caramel-pretzel-crunch-cake/