Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake
Rich caramel layered between chocolate cake, highlighted with chocolate ganache then topped with toffee bits create an indulging dessert. The best part, this entire blend of flavors are sugar-free and low carb.
Cake
I struggled with balancing chocolate and sweeteners with low carb flours. When the perfect blend came together, it became the best go-to for a chocolate treat.
Using Dutch blend cocoa provides the balance and pop of flavor in this cake when enhanced by the coffee. Making certain to not over-bake the cake preserves the moisture and keeps the cake soft.
Caramel
Sweeteners can be utilized in different ways but when it comes to caramel, they don’t always perform as hoped. Using Monk Fruit, Stevia or Erythritol taste great if using immediately. As the caramel cools, they tend to thicken and re-crystalize. There are two sweeteners that do work well when creating caramel, BochaSweet, and Allulose. Know that you can use other sweeteners but the results will not be the same. This was created with my Keto Dulce de Leche recipe, CLICK HERE to view.
If you’re short on time or not desiring to make your own caramel, store-bought sugar-free caramel sauce is an option. Be aware that the ingredients in packaged sauces are not the greatest for a total wellness journey and always read the ingredients for allergens and food sensitivity.
Cocoa Blends vs Cocoa
When sourcing your unsweetened cocoa, each brand varies in carbohydrates and flavor, depending on how the cocoa was sourced and produced. This article from BrownEyedBaker gives a good explanation.
I prefer to use a blend of both processes, yielding an amazing pop of flavor.
Dry Ingredients
Almond flours come in different textures and perform differently when used in low-carb baking. No matter the almond flour’s claim at being “super fine” I ALWAYS give mine a few pulses in the food processor. This give a better powder to work with.
Coconut flour varies in color and density therefore, always sift before measuring Also know that coconut flour requires extra liquid in order to effectively create a baked good. For these reasons, your cake batter should be runny vs. thick like a brownie batter would be.
Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Oven
- Baking Sheet
- Baking Pans 6-8 in round or square | 9×13 pan
- Parchement Paper
- Pastry brush
- Candy Thermometer (if making toffee)
Ingredients
Toffee Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 4 tbsp Sweetener
- 1 tbsp Water
- ½ tsp Vanilla
- 1 pinch Salt
Chocolate Cake
- ½ cup Butter, melted
- 1 ½ cup Almond Flour place in small blender or food processor and blend to a finer flour
- 4 tbsp Coconut Flour
- ½ cup Dutch Blend Cocoa Powder
- 3 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Almond Milk, unsweetened
- ⅓ cup Hot water
- 1 tbsp Instant Coffee
- 6 large Eggs
- ½ cup Monk Fruit Sweetener, granular
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- 1 batch Caramel sauce Any sugar-free caramel sauce like my Keto Dulce de Leche
Chocolate Ganache
- 5 ounces 90% Lindt Chocolate bar
- ¼ cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
Toffee
- Line a 9x13inch pan with parchament paper and set aside
- Combine butter, sweetener, water and salt in a small pot.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Use a pastry brush damp with water to brush sides of pan if sugar begins to crystalize along the sides.
- Continue to stir frequently until mixture begins to boil. This process is a lesson in patience. Do not turn up heat to speed up or you will ruin the toffee
- Attach candy thermometer to the side of the pan, using caution not to allow point of thermometer to touch the bottom of the pan.
- Continue to allow the mixture to boil stirring occasionally until it reaches hard crack stage. 305° F / 151° C
- Remove from heat once hard crack stage has been reached.
- Stir in vanilla carefully as mixture will bubble up.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan with parchment paper and allow to cool.
- Break toffee into pieces. Reserve half to use at a later time. With remaining pieces, chop or pulse in food proccessr into tiny pieces
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350° / 176° C. Grease two 6 inch pans, line bottom with a cutout piece of parchment, grease parchment.
- Combine hot water and instant coffee. Mix and set aside
- Melt butter, pour into mixing bowl and add sweetener, mix well.
- Combine sweetener, almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to a bowl.
- Add half cup of dry mixture at a time, alternating eggs until all are mixed. Don't over mix.
- Add almond milk and vanilla and mix just until incorporated.
- Pour cake batter evenly into pans. Bake for 15 minutes, check center with a pick, bake 10 more minutes before checking again. Do not over bake. Times vary based on oven and flour mix brands used. It's important to keep checking.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to finish.
Cake Assembly
- Slice each layer in half.
- Place the first layer on a serving plate. Spread a thin layer of caramel. Then, sprinkle with toffee bits.
- Repeat with remaining layers, omitting caramel from the top layer.
Chocolate Ganache
- Combine chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe dish.
- Microwave for 1 minute at 50% power.
- Stir mixture and microwave in 30 second intervals until all chocolate is melted and cream is incorprated to create a 3-second ganache.
- Pour ganache over top of cake, using extra to build up edges of cake, Next, take a spoon and slightly push the ganache over edge to allow ganache to drizzle down the sides.
- Garnish with remaining toffee bits. Serve with whipped cream.
Notes
