Chocolate Cake with Caramel Meringue Buttercream

Caramel meringue buttercream is rich and smooth with buttery toffee notes that perfectly complement a rich chocolate cake. This divine duo is sure to delight lovers of both caramel and chocolate. The impressive crosshatch drip design is remarkably simple, with no special tools required.

MAKES two 9-inch layers; serves 8 to 16

INGREDIENTS

Super-Rich Chocolate Cake, prepared as directed through step 7

Caramel Meringue Buttercream

½ recipe Caramel Sauce, at room temperature

1. To assemble and decorate the cake with the crosshatch pattern, place one cake layer top side up on a cake turner. Use an icing wand to evenly spread 1 cup buttercream over the surface. Add the second layer top side up. Using an icing wand, spread about 1 cup buttercream on the top and about 1 cup buttercream on the top and about 1½ cups on the sides, smoothing as you go until the cake is fully iced and smooth.
2. Place the room temperature caramel sauce in a squeeze bottle or a resealable plastic bag with a small hole cut in one corner. Drizzle the sauce in thin lines in one direction over the top of the cake, then switch directions and continue drizzling to create a crosshatch pattern all over the top of the cake. Allow the excess caramel to drip down the sides.