My husband, gamely and somewhat foolishly perhaps, offered to make me a birthday cake when his family came over for my birthday. This Wilton giant cupcake pan was a gift from my parents. Although I am obsessed with miniatures, I am also fascinated by giant versions of things and this Wilton cake pan was on my radar from the moment I saw it.
I’ve tried caramel and salt before, indeed I made a salted caramel macadamia praline and it was a success so I wanted a caramel and salt cake. Unfortunately, despite buttering and flouring the pan well, the cake was steadfastly stuck in the pan. He did a great job cutting it out but the ridge detail was lost. The icing was a tad runny for the cake and even refrigerating it did not help a lot. He did enjoy doing the chocolate fondant, I told him it was like a “construction job”! I’m hoping he’ll go for cooking rather than pining for a backyard and back shed.
Giant Caramel and salt cupcake
Courtesy of Baked bakery in New York City, this Sweet and Salty Cake will satisfy every chocolate lovers’ appetite.
Ingredients
Makes one 8-inch 3-layer cake or fills the Wilton Giant cupcake pan
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 2 2/3 cups cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
- 1/2 cup Caramel with Salt (see below)
- Whipped Caramel Ganache Icing (see recipe below)
- Fleur de sel, for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325F/160c degrees. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans and line each pan with a parchment paper round, butter parchment paper and flour or butter and flour the Wilton Giant cupcake pan. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, 1 1/4 cups hot water, and sour cream; set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.
3. In another large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together until smooth and it appears to create strings inside the bowl, about 7 minutes. Add both sugars and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until well incorporated. Add vanilla, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and mix again for 30 seconds. Add flour mixture alternating with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
5. Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake until cake is just firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 18 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely.
6. Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place the first layer on the cake plate. Using about 1/4 cup of the caramel, spread a thin layer on the cake, allowing some of the caramel to soak into the cake. Follow the caramel layer with a layer of about 1 cup of the ganache icing. Place the second layer on top and repeat process with another layer of caramel followed by a layer of ganache icing. Place the remaining layer on top of the second layer bottom side up. Spread entire cake with remaining ganache icing. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.
Caramel and salt
Ingredients
Makes enough for two to three 8-inch 3-layer cake
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon fleur de sel
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
1. Combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, mix together cream and salt. Bring cream to a boil and cook until salt has dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. When the caramel mixture has reached 350 degrees, remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Carefully add the hot cream to the caramel; stir to combine. Whisk in sour cream. Cool, and store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
Recipe found on www.marthastewart.com
Whipped caramel ganache icing
Ingredients
Makes enough for one 8-inch 3-layer cake
- 75g butter, cubed
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 150ml thickened cream
- 1 pound dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 pound (4 sticks or 500grams) butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces, softened but still cool
Directions
- Place 75g butter, sugar and cream into a saucepan over low heat. Stir until butter has melted. Simmer gently for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Allow to cool for 20 minutes or until thickened. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
- Place chocolate in the bowl of an electric mixer and pour hot caramel sauce over chocolate. Let sit 1 minute before stirring from the center until chocolate is melted.
- Attach bowl to electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Add butter and increase speed to medium-high until mixture is well combined, thickened, and slightly whipped, about 2 minutes. refrigerate for firmer consistency.
Frosting recipe adapted from one found on www.marthastewart.com
17 Comments | Add your own
Holy Cow what a massive cupcake cake! Great idea though, I know quite a few people who would love it as well. Where did your parents get the cake tin from?
Oh Shit, it looks worse than I remember it with that runny icing
Caramel and salt are a wonderful combination. And in such a great looking cake! By the way, I liked your writeup on Rise. Am so going there. We went to Ocean Room for bf’s bday last year and he hasn’t stop raving about it.
heh AWESOME! i used the giant pan the other day for my cake and i had issues with the top bit cooking a lil faster. as for your cake being stuck i sprayed heaps of cooking oil on the sides instead of butter and it came out ok. pics up soon lol but yours looks so tasty!
awww how sweet is your hubby!
I’m so glad you posted pics, have been wanting to see what they look like when you bake with them! I think it’s just a little bit too big for me
x
Mr NQN - i think it looks delicious! Cover anything in chocolate and most women will swoon
Actually, just having my husband cook something for me makes me swoon - but happens all too infrequently!
Mr NQN - well done! In 16 years of marriage (child bride) my husband has cooked exactly three times for me and one of those times was vegemite on toast.
NQN - how lucky are you
If the butterflies like it, I would too. Now how’s that for a motto?
Thanks Nic and GD, that was my every second year try at cooking
finally, a cupcake just my size! the mister does nice work.
Hi Y-I know, it’s a great idea isn’t it! They bought it from Peters of Kensington where it’s on sale for $40 from memory (it’s usually $80).
Hi Mr NQN-Haha don’t be silly honey, everyone loved it. Remember people taking third slices? People don’t take second or third slices unless they like it!
Hi belle-I agree, there should be more caramel and salt combos
Thanks, definitely a must go place. I haven’t been to Ocean Room-yet!
Hi chocolatesuze- Ahh yes the same thing happened here, the top was done but the base wasn’t so the top ended up being cooked than the bottom (thankfully it didn’t burn). I wouldn’t mind trying it again on another recipe. I think using heaps of butter or oil and flour is definitely the go on these fancy tins!
Hi Iron Chef Shellie-He is indeed. It’s quite big but a good size for a party. Definitely not for one human being though
Hi Nic-That’s a good tip-cover anything in chocolate
Although Mr NQN is the first to admit, he only cooks once every 2 years ;lol:
Hi GD-Hehe I guess it’s the thought that counts? In this case Mr NQN says that he goes for quality, non quantity. Hmmmm
Hi Mr NQN-You’ve got some lovely comments here. How about cooking a bit more often?
Hi grace-It’s definitely one to eat with a gigantic fork and spoon. He does indeed do nice work
you did good Mr NQN, you did good! My boyfriend once made me a dinner of steak, mash and caramel cheesecake, just once to prove he could cook. And he can cook. But I haven’t seen any cooking since! No pressure Mr NQN, you have another 2 years to think about your next creation!
NQN, I love that you can make birthdays extra long and extra special by eating your way to a new age! I have cake envy…
Learning new things all the time on your site! First I’ve never seen a cake pan like this, with a top and a bottom. Secondly I haven’t heard of a sweet and salty cake either! I sometimes get my girl “Sweet and Salty” muesli bars (made in New Zealand) - with the cashews or almonds adding the salty part.. but yeah.. a cake? I’m fascinated!
I wonder if those ‘ridges’ in the pan are a death warrant for any cake? Or would they just make it harder for the cake to come out easily? It’d be harder to grease and flour it also..I’m guessing.
Just looking at the original price of the tin.. woo-hooo..that’s steep.. so it was a great bargain!
It looks great Lorraine.. *well done* to your hubby (Mr NQN) - I think this is a real conversation-piece celebration cake!
This looks awesome! so nice of your hubby to bake you a cake, and that too a giant one:)
hope you had a splendid b’day with your family; I celebrated mine too this weekend:)D
Hi Maria-I’ve never used a cake pan like this before too
Caramel and salt are an amazing combo, definitely worth a try. The salt tempers the sweetness of the caramel and really brings out the flavour of it as opposed to just the sweetness of it.
Yeah I don’t know if other people have had problems with the ridges. I just know that when we saw it, we just thought “uh oh”. Thanks, his ego has had a rather big boost from all of these comments
Hi Mansi-Happy Birthday to you! Hope you had lots of delicious food to celebrate
I did indeed have a great one, thanks so much 
Everything you make has a delicate touch, Lorraine, be it mini or giant. This is no exception - love, love, love the butterflies!
Hi Patricia-I was lucky in this case, hubby did all the work, I just made the butterflies and the balls around the edge
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