This is a vanilla layer cake filled with gooey dulce de leche and covered in an easy chocolate frosting. If you haven't tried the magic that is a cake filled with dulce de leche, you're in for a treat!
Growing up, all birthday cakes had dulce de leche in the middle.
Though the layers usually came from a box, having this wonderful milk jam so readily available solved the eternal what-should-I-fill-the-cake-with question.
However, it made all cakes pretty much the same.
The thing is that it is such a fantastic combination, both with chocolate and vanilla. If you're new to dulce de leche, you're in for a sweet surprise of the best kind.
It can even be made in stages since the layers can be wrapped up for a few days, and the frosting kept in the fridge.
Dulce de leche filling
Dulce de leche is a sweet milk jam, a cousin to caramel, made with milk, sugar, and baking soda, the latter being accountable for its dark color.
If used as a filling, you need to use what we call pastry dulce de leche.
It's much thicker than the regular kind. Look for the word Repostero on the label.
The best one available online (that we also use here!) is Vacalin Dulce de Leche Repostero. Another good one is Veronica dulce de leche repostero.
Chocolate frosting
Type of chocolate: you can use the two types of chocolate specified in the recipe, or just one.
Cream cheese: it adds richness and smoothness. The frosting is unctuous.
It's the combination of flavors that make the cake.
Tender vanilla buttermilk layers with a hefty dose of dulce de leche and an even heftier dose of double chocolate cream cheese frosting.
I sometimes add hazelnut praline in the filling and decoration, but the cake doesn't need it to shine.
It's a really good cake, for a birthday or just because.
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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Dulce de Leche Birthday Cake
This is a vanilla layer cake filled with gooey dulce de leche and covered in an easy chocolate frosting. If you haven't tried the magic that is a cake filled with dulce de leche, you're in for a treat! The components can be made in advance.
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the vanilla cake:
- 1 ¾ cups (200g) all-purpose or cake flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…” cup well-shaken buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5.5 oz (155g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 â…“ cups (260g) sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups dulce de leche
For the chocolate frosting:
- 5 oz milk chocolate
- 9 oz bittersweet chocolate
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
Instructions
For the buttermilk cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC. Butter and flour or spray a 9inch (24cm) round springform cake pan.
- Sift flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Reserve. Mix buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl or glass cup.
- In a large bowl beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, and beat for 4 or 5 minutes, until very light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth between additions. Beat for 1 minute after adding the third egg.
- Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with liquids in two additions. Don't beat this too much, it should only be mixed until well blended. Over beating will make the cake tough.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for for 40 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in center comes out clean.
- Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes and inverto onto a rack and let cool completely before filling and frosting.
- Cut the cake in half, trying to cut it as even as possible. To achieve this, start by using a large thin knife, and cut while rotating the cake. With each turn, the knife should go deeper, until you reach the center. At that point the cake will be completely cut in half.
- Spread dulce de leche on top of one half, spreading evenly but without touching half an inch from the edge. (That way, when you press the second layer on top, the dulce de leche will reach the edges but not spill).
- Top with the other cake layer, press lightly and frost with chocolate frosting.
- The best way to frost is to take about half the frosting and make one layer covering the whole cake. Then take the rest of the frosting, and even it out as best as you can.
- Sprinkle chopped toffee or praline on top if you want to, or decorate any way you want. Serve.
For the chocolate frosting:
- Melt both chocolates on top of a double boiler or in the microwave. Be careful not to burn it.
- Let cool until lukewarm, then add to the room temperature cream cheese.
- Add the salt and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and shiny.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Frosting adapted from Cakes, by Maida Heatter
www.you-made-that.com says
This is a beautiful cake that looks so rich and delicious. I'm sorry you had problems with flooding :(. I like your positive attitude to realize you still have so much while others lost much more. I hope you get everything fixed soon and back to normal.
Sandra Lee says
Happy to hear that you're OK. Your cake looked amazing worth all the time and calories. I have to start giving away my baked goods again.
thelittleloaf says
I'm so sorry to hear about your house but I'm very pleased you managed to still make this incredible cake. It looks so so yummy. Hope you're ok and keeping safe with a big slice of this 🙂
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Paula, I'm incredibly sorry to hear about the devastation happening in Buenos Aires! My heart goes out to you. While it's terrible to lose physical possessions that you love and cherish, I'm relieved that you're safe and you haven't lost any loved ones. I'm thinking of you and sending prayers and best wishes to your city.
As for cake...I love your attitude, girl. Cakes don't need to look perfect - they need to TASTE perfect and I know that this one does. Gah - there is so much amazingness in there, I'd do anything for a slice right now! I wish I grew up with dulce de leche filled cakes. I guess I just need to start making them now.
Pink Patisserie says
Beautiful and I bet deliciously yummy! I don't think I've ever had a cake with dulce de leche in the middle, but I will now! So sorry to hear of the flooding there, but glad to hear that you all are alright..
Liz Berg says
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your flooding...I hope your life and the lives of those affected by the storms will be back to normal ASAP.
I love that you grew up with dulce de leche filled cakes...what delicious memories! And I'm the same way with decorating cakes...simple and easy. Yours is beautiful!
Laura Dembowski says
I hope you are doing okay, Paula and things get back to normal quickly 🙂 This cake looks great! I love dulce de leche and the hazelnut praline has my mouth watering.
The Sketched Chef says
That looks extremly beautiful and tasty !
Medeja says
So sorry to hear about the floods. But I am really glad you are ok yourself.
This cake looks so gorgeous 🙂 I wish I could ask you to make a cake for my birthday 😀
yummychunklet says
Oh, the filling and the frosting look divine!
Laura says
You already know that I love dulce de leche--this cake looks fabulous.
I am sorry to hear about the flooding. I hope your community recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
Gloria Baker says
Paula this look absolutely delicious!, me mata el dulce de leche!!
Que terrible lo de las inundaciones Paula y que pena tus cosas, de todas maneras son cosas que cuesta tener, pero me alegro que estes bien, espero se vayan recuperando.
Me impresiona que haya sucedido en esta época que aún no es invierno!
Un abrazo
Renee says
I'll be dreaming about this cake for days, no make that months. I've come back to look at this post at least three times already. What a special cake. Seriously. Very special. It's one I would love to have for my birthday and half-birthday and quarter-birthday.
ahu says
Paula - this cake looks incredible. Best to you and the community as you recover from the devastating flood!
Viviane Bauquet Farre - Food and Style says
Paula, this looks incredible!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Paula, I'm so glad you are OK. Most things can be replaced, thank goodness! And this cake, I give thanks for that. I am going to try this. What do I have to do to be that friend that receives everything? I hope she is skinny or she won't be for long!
Holly @ abakershouse.com says
This is a beautiful cake, even the name makes me hungry and happy! I am terribly sorry to hear of the floods and am sorry you've had to experience that this week. Thanks for sharing your positive attitude and your concern for others who lost even more. Take care!
Lisa says
Paula...I made a similar cake last year for my BF's birthday, but I made a macadadmia praline. However, it was nowhere near as gorgeous as yours! This cake is mind-blowing, aesthetically and flavor wise. I'm dying to see your cinnamon swirl challah...and I know there is no way it's ugly! Your baking skills are off the charts, seriously.
Kate@Diethood says
Holy moly!! My jaw is on the floor... I want!! That is beautiful!
I also don't have patience for cakes... I give up at the very beginning! 🙂
Stacy says
I LOOOOOVE that you put more nuts in the middle too on top of the dulce de leche filling, Paula! Absolutely fabulous! It's a beautiful cake.
I am sorry that you suffered any damage but, as you say, it's hard not to be grateful when so many lost so much more. I hope you were able to save the most precious things. For me that would be family photos and other irreplaceables. In time, we can always buy a new rug or sofa. Heart-connected family items are harder to replace.