All those who love dulce de leche will fall head over heels for our Dulce de Leche Cake. Every component of the cake is infused with the rich, buttery, creamy flavor of the caramel-like treat, from the tender cake to the glaze to the lusciously thick and fluffy buttercream frosting. A sprinkling of crunchy toasted hazelnuts adds a little texture and balance to the sweetness and keeps you coming back for slice after slice. This Dulce de Leche Cake will turn anyone who tries it into a dulce de leche superfan in an instant!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup dulce de leche
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup whole milk
For the glaze:
- 1/4 cup dulce de leche
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, un-sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dulce de leche
- .25 fluid ounces dark rum
- 3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray.
Step 3 –In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of the salt until combined.
Step 4 –In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the white sugar and 3/4 cup of the butter and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 5 –Add 1/3 cup of the dulce de leche and the vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 6 –Adjust the mixer speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating each egg until just blended, about 45 seconds per egg.
Step 7 –Alternate adding the flour mixture and 3/4 cup of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and beating after each addition on low speed until just combined.
Step 8 –Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Step 9 –Bake the cakes until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 10 –Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
Step 11 –Invert the cakes from the pans onto a wire cooling rack. Place the wire rack onto a baking sheet.
Step 12 –Using a wooden skewer or fork, gently poke holes all over the flat sides of the cakes.
Step 13 –In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the dulce de leche and the remaining milk until smooth.
Step 14 –Pour the glaze over the still-warm cakes and smooth the glaze with an offset spatula to coax the glaze into the poked holes.
Step 15 –Allow the cakes to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Step 16 –In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the remaining butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Step 17 –Adjust the mixer to low speed and gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter, beating until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 18 –Beat the remaining salt into the butter mixture.
Step 19 –Adjust the mixer speed to medium and beat the butter mixture until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 20 –Adjust the mixer speed to low and beat the remaining dulce de leche and the rum into the butter mixture until just incorporated, about 45 seconds.
Step 21 –Place 1 cake layer onto a plate with the flat side of the cake facing up.
Step 22 –Spread 1 cup of the frosting evenly over the cake, all the way to the edge of the cake.
Step 23 –Sprinkle the frosting with 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts.
Step 24 –Place the second cake layer, rounded side up, onto the hazelnut layer.
Step 25 –Spread the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake.
Step 26 –Sprinkle the icing with the remaining hazelnuts.
Step 27 –Serve.