Salted Caramel Sheet Cake

 sheet cake, and the last step focuses primarily on the caramel topping. This recipe utilizes brewed hot coffee in the first steps and then cooled coffee in the second part.

Chocolate Cake – Part 1

Place the brown sugar, brewed coffee, cocoa, butter, and vanilla into a saucepan over low heat. Stir until they are fully incorporated. This will likely take between 5-7 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool a bit. It should be a little thick and similar to custard.

Chocolate Cake – Part 2

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. Add the butter, sugars, eggs, cooled coffee, and vanilla to the flour mixture and mix with a hand-held mixer until fully combined. Add the chocolate mixture from Part 1 to these ingredients from Part 2.

Stir by hand until all ingredients are well combined. Pour the mixture onto a prepared (sprayed or lined with parchment paper) 10×15-inch baking sheet. Smooth out the batter and gently tap the pan on the counter to even everything out. Bake for 16-22 minutes, or until the center no longer appears wet and an inserted toothpick is removed with a few crumbs.

I have been asked about baking these sheet cakes in a 9×13-inch baking dish. A 9×13-inch dish won’t work as well as the center will not finish cooking while the edges will burn. This is a sheet cake and is only supposed to be about 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches tall at most.

How to Make the Salted Caramel Topping

This step can be prepared while the cake is baking.  In a microwave-safe bowl, add the caramels, butter, and the milk.  Heat this up in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir, and then pop it back in.  You will repeat the 30-second intervals between 1-3 minutes total, or until it is all melted together.

Pour this caramel sauce over the top of the cooked chocolate sheet cake.  Top with sea salt, not table salt. (It makes a big difference!)  Follow with chocolate chips and toffee bits. Crushed pretzels would also be delicious added to this cake. You will be tempted to dive right in, but I suggest allowing the whole thing to cool completely before you start cutting it up.

Looking for More Sheet Cake Recipes?

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Salted Caramel Sheet Cake

PREP TIME15MINUTES MINS

COOK TIME29MINUTES MINS

TOTAL TIME44MINUTES MINS

This Salted Caramel Sheet Cake is going to take your sheet cake game to a whole new level.  Deliciously moist sheet cake, cooked to perfection, and topped with an ooey-gooey blend of melted caramel, toffee bits, chocolate chips, and sea salt.  You won’t want a regular sheet cake again!

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE--FIRST PART

▢⅓  cup  (67g) brown sugar▢⅓  cup  strong coffee▢½  cup  (59g) Dutch-process cocoa▢1  tablespoon  butter▢1  teaspoon  vanilla

CHOCOLATE CAKE--SECOND PART

▢1½  cups  (187.5g) all-purpose flour▢½  teaspoon  baking powder▢1  teaspoon  baking soda▢½  cup  (1 stick or 113g) salted butter, warm but not melted▢½  cup  (100g) granulated sugar▢½  cup  (100g) packed brown sugar▢2  large eggs,  room temperature▢½  cup  cold coffee▢1  teaspoon  vanilla

SALTED CARAMEL TOPPING

▢1 bag (10 ounces) individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped▢¼ cup (1/2 stick or 57g) butter▢2 tablespoon milk▢½ teaspoon sea salt▢1 cup (68g) chocolate chips▢⅔ cup toffee bits

Instructions

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Preheat oven to 350°F.

FIRST PART

Place the brown sugar, coffee, cocoa, butter, and vanilla into a saucepan over low heat. Stir until they are fully incorporated (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit. It should be a little thick and similar to custard.

SECOND PART

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda together.

Add warm butter, both sugars, eggs, cold coffee, and vanilla to the flour mixture and mix with a hand-held mixer until fully combined. Or, stir by hand.

Add the chocolate mixture from the FIRST PART to the ingredients from the SECOND PART. Stir by hand until all ingredients are well combined.

Pour onto a prepared (sprayed or lined with parchment paper) 10x15-inch baking sheet. Smooth out the batter and gently tap the pan on the counter.

Bake for 16-22 minutes, or until the center no longer appears wet and an inserted toothpick is removed with a few crumbs.

SALTED CARAMEL TOPPING

Melt caramels, butter, and milk together in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, for 1 to 3 minutes (depending on your microwave).

Pour caramel mixture over warm cake and top with sea salt, chocolate chips, and toffee bits.

Cool completely before cutting into squares.