Chocolate cake with salted caramel popcorn recipe

Step-by-step

1. Make the cakes. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Lightly grease three 20cm round cake tins.
2. Place the chocolate and coffee in a heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir gently until melted and smooth and stand until cool. Meanwhile, place the hot milk, cocoa powder and vanilla in a bowl and whisk to combine well, then set aside to cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. With the motor on low speed, add the flour, then the beaten egg and beat until just combined. Add the chocolate and milk mixtures alternately and beat until well combined. The batter should resemble a coffee-coloured frosting.
4. Spoon the batter evenly between the prepared tins and bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
5. Let the cake stand in their tins for 10 minutes, then turn out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the popcorn. Place the oil in a large saucepan with a lid over medium heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, add a couple of kernels of popping corn to the pan – they should spin around in a circle.
7. Add the popping corn kernels, cover and cook until the corn starts to pop. Shake the pan gently until the corn stops popping, about 7 minutes, then remove from the heat. Spread the popcorn over a baking paper-lined tray and discard any unpopped kernels in the bottom of the pan.
8. Place the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, shaking the pan regularly, until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the caramel is a deep amber colour, tilting the pan gently to make sure the colour is even.
9. Carefully add the butter and stir for 5 minutes or until well combined. Increase the heat, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat again and simmer, without stirring, for another 5–7 minutes or until thick and caramelised.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt. Carefully pour the hot caramel over the popcorn on the lined tray. Set aside to cool, then break it into pieces.
11. Make the chocolate fudge frosting. Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of just simmering water. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water.
12. Heat until melted and smooth, then remove from the heat and stand until just cool. Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream and icing sugar. Stir in the cooled chocolate until well combined.
13. Make the dark chocolate glaze. Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over low heat. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until smooth.
14. Assemble your cake. Place one of the chocolate cakes on a stand or serving plate and spread with a third of the chocolate fudge frosting. Repeat this process with the remaining cakes and frosting.
15. Cover the top layer with the salted caramel popcorn, piling it higher in the centre of the cake. Drizzle the cake generously with the dark chocolate glaze, allowing the sauce to drizzle down the side of the cake.