Twix Cake
A decadent celebration cake featuring crunchy brown butter shortbread, a gooey smoked sea salt caramel core, and tender vanilla layers finished with a silky chocolate buttercream frosting.
Equipment
- Three 8-inch cake pans
- Candy thermometer
- Large saucepan
- Digital kitchen scale
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
Thick Caramel Filling:
- 113 g Unsalted butter
- 200 g Light brown sugar
- 120 ml Light corn syrup
- 198 g Sweetened condensed milk
- 15 ml Heavy whipping cream
- 4 ml Vanilla extract
- 6 g Fine salt
Shortbread Base:
- 339 g Unsalted butter
- 375 g All-purpose flour
- 95 g Powdered sugar
- 6 g Fine salt
Vanilla Cake Recipe:
- 226 g Unsalted butter
- 600 g Granulated sugar
- 240 ml Egg whites
- 360 g Cake flour
- 10 g Baking powder
- 6 g Fine salt
- 360 g Full-fat sour cream
- 60 ml Vegetable oil
- 4 ml Vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
- 452 g Unsalted butter
- 40 g Unsweetened baking cocoa
- 4 ml Vanilla extract
- 3 g Fine salt
- 750 g Powdered sugar
- 180 ml Heavy whipping cream
- 180 g Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Phase 1: Thick caramel core
- In a large saucepan, combine 113g butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk. Set over medium-high heat and stir constantly until glossy and bubbling.
- Stream in the heavy whipping cream slowly. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature while stirring.
- Cook until the mixture reaches 225°F (110°C), just before the soft ball stage. The caramel should pull slightly from the spoon.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and fine salt. Pour into a heat-safe container to cool completely to room temperature.
Phase 2: Brown butter shortbread base
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray three 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- Brown 339g of butter in a skillet until golden and nutty. Let it cool until it is soft and workable but not liquid.
- Combine the brown butter, flour, powdered sugar, and salt until a sandy dough forms. Press the dough firmly and evenly into the bottoms of the prepared pans.
- Prick the shortbread dough with a fork and bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Phase 3: Vanilla cake layers
- Beat the unsalted butter for the cake until creamy, add granulated sugar, and whip for 3 minutes until fluffy. Mix in the egg whites until unified.
- Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix half of these dry ingredients into the butter mixture gently.
- Add the sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium until silky, then add the remaining dry ingredients just until combined.
- Divide the batter over the baked shortbread bases in the pans. Bake for 34 to 36 minutes, rotating once.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then loosen edges with a spatula. Freeze the layers in the pans for 45 minutes to firm them up.
- Carefully unmold the layers and level the cake tops with a serrated knife.
Phase 4: Chocolate buttercream and assembly
- Melt chocolate chips and let cool. Beat butter for frosting until creamy, then add cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar and heavy cream.
- Mix the cooled melted chocolate into the frosting until satiny. Stir by hand to remove air bubbles.
- Place the first cake layer shortbread-side down. Pipe a buttercream ring at the edge, fill with 1 cup of warmed caramel, and cover with a thin layer of buttercream.
- Repeat with the next layers. Apply a thin crumb coat to the entire cake and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Apply a thick final coat of buttercream, smooth the edges, and decorate with chopped Twix bars and a caramel drizzle.
Notes
Safety Tip: Always use a candy thermometer when making the caramel core. The texture of the caramel changes rapidly near the soft ball stage, and hitting exactly 225°F ensures it is thick enough to hold between layers without being brittle.
Storage Tip: Store the cake in an airtight container to keep the shortbread layer from absorbing moisture and losing its crunch. In humid environments, it is best to keep the cake refrigerated and bring it to room temperature just before serving.
Assembly Tip: Chill the cake for 10 minutes after adding each caramel layer. This creates a stable foundation and prevents the layers from sliding during the final frosting application.
High-Altitude Adjustment: If baking above 3,500 feet, reduce the baking powder slightly to prevent the cake from over-inflating and collapsing.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 820kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 8gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 380mgPotassium: 215mgFiber: 2gSugar: 68gVitamin A: 18IUCalcium: 125mgIron: 2.8mg
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