Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cake

This rich, incredibly moist Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cake features a cocoa based olive oil cake and dulce de leche buttercream frosting. It’s easy to whip up and perfect for any occasion!

You will love how simple yet decadent this chocolate dulce de lechecake is! It features two layers of chocolate cake and is topped with the most delicious dulce de leche buttercream frosting.

TWO PARTS IN THIS DULCE DE LECHE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Chocolate cake: I used the same chocolate cake recipe that I used to make my mini chocolate cake. It’s rich, delicious and is so easy to make.
• Dulce de leche buttercream frosting: I have been wanting to make this cake since I made these incredible dulce de leche cupcakes. They are topped with the most flavorful dulce de leche buttercream. I knew it would also be the perfect frosting for a chocolate cake!

WHAT IS DULCE DE LECHE?

Dulce de leche is a confection that’s popular throughout Latin America. It’s made by slowly heating sweetened condensed milk til develops a rich caramel color and flavor. It’s thick, luscious and so irresistibly good!

WHERE CAN I GET DULCE DE LECHE?

YOU CAN BUY DULCE DE LECHE

I find it in the baking aisle near the sweetened condensed milk in most grocery stores where I live. You may also find it in the international foods aisle.

YOU CAN MAKE IT AT HOME

If you can’t find dulce de leche in the store, you can make your own. Cooking sweetened condensed milk is the easiest way, but you can also make it completely from scratch with milk and sugar. Preppy Kitchen has a thourough post on how to make dulce de leche.

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Olive oil
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar (light or dark)
• An egg
• Vanilla extract
• Buttermilk
• Boiling water
• All purpose flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt

BAKING WITH OLIVE OIL

I love baking with olive oil. It makes baked goods so rich and moist. One of my favorite olive oil bakes is this flavorful Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake! Another must try olive oil dessert is this delicious Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Tart!

Olive oil and chocolate especially delicious together. These Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies were as good if not better than cookies made with butter!

WHAT CAN I USE IN PLACE OF OLIVE OIL?

Olive oil takes the place of vegetable or canola oil in this recipe. You can absolutely use vegetable oil or canola oil here in place of olive oil.

HOW TO MAKE THIS CHOCOLATE CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line two  6″ straight edge cake pans with parchment paper. Spray the sides with cooking spray.
2. Whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl then set aside.  
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg, oil, sugars, buttermilk and vanilla extract until combined. 
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients then pour in the hot water and stir until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the pans and bake 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS DULCE DE LECHE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• Unsalted butter
• Powdered sugar
• Milk or heavy cream
• Vanilla extract
• Dulce de leche: I usually like to make everything from scratch, but I used store bought dulce de leche for this frosting. You can use store bought or homemade.
• Pinch of salt 

HOW TO MAKE DULCE DE LECHE FROSTING

1. Cream the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for one minute. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on medium for 3-4 minutes, until creamy. Add the heavy cream or milk. Slowly beat in the dulce de leche a little bit at a time. Beat in the vanilla followed by the salt. 
2. If buttercream is too thin, add more powdered sugar, if it is too thick, add more milk or heavy cream until it is the consistency you desire. To firm buttercream up a bit more before frosting, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes. 

TIPS FOR MAKING BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• Use Room Temperature Butter: I leave my butter out overnight in the wintertime. The amount of time you leave it out depend on the temperature of your kitchen. To be on the safe side, allow butter to sit out for at least 1-2 hours before using it.
• Add More Powdered Sugar: If you find your buttercream is too thin, gradually add more powdered sugar to thicken it.
• Add More Heavy Cream or Milk: If you find your buttercream is too thick, very gradually add more heavy cream or milk. By gradually, I mean a little splash (around a teaspoon) at a time. Definitely don’t add a whole tablespoon at a time.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

PREPARE THE CAKE LAYERS

Make the cakes and allow them to cool. Once cooled, tuse a long serrated knife to slice off just the top of your cakes. This will give you even layers.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

Frost the top of the first layer with the frosting. Drizzle with a little extra dulce de leche if desired. Place the top layer cut side down on top. Frost with frosting and enjoy!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DULCE DE LECHE CHOCOLATE CAKE

STORAGE

Store the unfrosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Once the cake is frosted, I recommend storing it an airtight container in the chocolate and dulce de leche cake in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freeze unfrosted cake in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

This dulce de leche chocolate cake is simple and delicious! You’ll love how easy it is to make and how perfect it is for pretty much anytime of the day or year!

Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cake

Natalie

This rich Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cake features a cocoa based olive oil cake and dulce de leche buttercream frosting. It's an easy recipe to whip up and perfect for any occasion!

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 32 minutes mins

Course Cakes

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

FOR THE MINI CHOCOLATE  CAKE

• ▢ 1 cup all purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup olive oil canola or vegetable oil can be substituted
• ▢ 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar light or dark, packed
• ▢ 1 large egg room temperature
• ▢ 1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla
• ▢ 3/4 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 1/4 cup boiling water

FOR THE DULCE DE LECHE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted to break up lumps
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon- 3/4 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dulce de leche
• ▢ pinch of salt

Instructions

 

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of two  6″ straight edge cake pans with parchment paper. Spray the sides with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.  
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg, oil, sugars, buttermilk and vanilla extract until combined. 
• Use a rubber spatula to gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined, being careful not to over mix. Pour in the hot water and stir until combined.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. 

FOR THE DULCE DE LECHE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer, cream the butter for one minute. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on medium for 3-4 minutes, until creamy. Add a half a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream. Slowly beat in the dulce de leche a little bit at a time. Beat in the vanilla followed by the salt. 
• If buttercream is too thin, add more powdered sugar, if it is too thick, add more milk or heavy cream until it is the consistency you desire. 

HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

• Use a long serrated knife to trim the tops off the cooled cakes. Place first cake cut side up and frost the cake. Drizzle with a tablespoon or two of dulce de leche if desired. Place second cake cut side down on top of the first layer. Check to see that the layers are even. Top second layer with frosting and enjoy! 

Notes

Storage: Store the unfrosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Once the chocolate and dulce de leche cake is frosted, I recommend storing it an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freeze unfrosted cake in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

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