Caramel Drip Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Cake Batter Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease three 8-inch round cake pans.

Cake Batter In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Cake Batter Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Cake Batter Stir in the hot water until the cake batter is smooth and well mixed.

Baking the Cakes Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Caramel Drip While the cakes are baking, prepare the caramel drip by heating the granulated sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and let the mixture caramelize to a deep golden brown color. Carefully add the heavy cream while whisking constantly, then stir in the sea salt flakes. Set the caramel drip aside to cool slightly.

Salted Caramel Buttercream In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, salted caramel sauce, vanilla extract, and sea salt flakes, and beat until smooth and fluffy. If the buttercream is too thick, add a little milk to reach the desired consistency. Set the salted caramel buttercream aside.

Assembling the Cake Once the cakes have cooled, level the tops if necessary. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a layer of salted caramel buttercream on top. Repeat with the remaining layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream.

Finishing Touches Slowly pour the caramel drip around the edges of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Once the drip is set, drizzle additional caramel drip on top of the cake as desired.