Gluten Free Hazelnut Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake (Nut-and Dairy Free Options)

This gluten free salted caramel cake is made up of four layers of rich, moist yellow cake with two layers of decadent, salted caramel, frosted with a light hazelnut-praline frosting. All is evenly distributed so that you get the perfect balance of richness and sweetness in every bite and topped with salty popcorn.

Gluten Free Hazelnut Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake

Prep Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Cook Time: 42 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 3 minutes

Yield: Makes 8 - 12 servings

Gluten Free Hazelnut Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake

You get the perfect balance of richness and sweetness in every bite in this amazing four-layer gluten free hazelnut salted caramel popcorn cake.

Ingredients:

  • 1 recipe* Salted Caramels, adding an additional 1/2 cup heavy cream (or 1 recipe Dulce de Leche salt added
  • Double recipe Gluten Free Sponge Cake
  • For the Cake:
  • 2-1/2 cups sifted Carla's Self-Rising Cake Flour Blend Recipe, plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick)  unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, ground to a meal or minced
  • For the Dairy Whipped Frosting and Filling:
  • 1/4 cup Hazelnut-Praline Paste OR
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • For the Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting with Dairy-Free Options:
  • 1 recipe Hazelnut Praline Buttercream Frosting
  • For Garnish:
  • 1/3 cup popcorn kernels (I use organic)
  • 1 paper bag (optional)

Instructions:

    To Make the Cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans; dust with flour; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the self-rising gluten-free flour blend, salt, cocoa powder; set aside.
  3. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter on high speed until creamy 1 - 2 minutes, scraping bowl as needed.
  4. Add the granulated sugar and beat until fluffy, 4 - 5 minutes, scraping bowl as needed.
  5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and beat just until thoroughly incorporated, scraping bowl as needed.
  6. Add the applesauce and vanilla and beat until just combined.
  7. Add one-third of the flour at a time, alternating with half of the buttermilk, beginning with the flour.
  8. Add the vinegar and beat until it appears to be evenly distributed.
  9. Distribute the batter evenly between the three prepared pans. If using, sprinkle some ground chestnuts on top of the batter of one or both of the cake batters. Using a butter knife, gently fold them into the batter. Sprinkle the tops with water and smooth out using a silicone/rubber spatula.
  10. Bake on the center shelf of your oven for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean. Rotate cakes once midway for even browning.
  11. Transfer the cakes in their pans to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes.Allow the cakes to cool on non-stick or oiled wire rack(s) in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cakes from their pans and transfer directly to the wire rack(s), flat side down, to cool completely.
  12. Invert the cakes onto your hand and reinvert them onto the wire racks to cool completely. Once cool, wrap each cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. It makes it easier to slice into four layers.
  13. To Make the Frostings:
  14. Choose between the frostings: dairy whipped or buttercream (with a dairy-free option). Follow the instructions at the provide above link; set aside or keep refrigetated if using dairy.
  15. To Make the Popcorn:
  16. If you'd like to use a microwave, add the popcorn kernels to a microwave-safe bowl and cover. (I use this inexpensive microwave popcorn bowl.) Cover the bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes 20 seconds or until the popping slows down. Alternatively, make it on a stove as you normally do. Set aside.
  17. To Assemble the Cake:
  18. Remove the cakes from the refrigerator. Slice one half and place one half on a plate flat side up. Place torn pieces of parchment paper underneath the cake's edges to prevent frosting from getting all over the plate.
  19. Spread of layer of frosting on the cake and top with the other half layer. Repeat with the remaining cake layer to form a four layer cake with frosting on the top layer.
  20. Frost the sides of the cake and refrigerate until the buttercream sets.
  21. Once set, remove the pieces of parchment and discard.paper, spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting over the chocolate frosting. Add the other chocolate frosted cake layer on top of the first, frosting side up. Frost it with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting. Add the final layer of cake on top, flat side down. Frost the top and sides of entire cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
  22. Pour some of salted caramel on the edges of the cake and allow it drip down the sides.
  23. Top with popcorn. Salt the top of the popcorn if desired. Then drizzle a little caramel sauce on top of the popcorn, if desired.

Tips

*You will only need half a recipe of the caramel. However, it's nice to have additional caramels on hand without much more work.

The moisture in sponge cakes is formed during refrigeration when the cake absorbs not only the moisture in the air but from the filling/frosting as well.

For a dairy-free option to make gluten free cake recipes, use half oil and half Earth Balance Buttery Sticks.

For nut-free, omit the paste and hazelnut extract from the cake and frosting.

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