Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (for toffee)
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 1 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 0.5 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
  • 0.5 cup white chocolate chips, melted
  • 1.5 cups unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 0.5 cup homemade caramel sauce, cooled
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the shattering toffee: Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. Heat to 300°F (hard-crack stage) until it reaches a deep amber color.
  2. Pour the hot toffee onto a silicone mat. Once hardened, shatter into small shards. Toss the shards in melted white chocolate to create a moisture barrier.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease three 8-inch round cake pans.
  4. Cream the browned butter and sugar in a stand mixer for 5 minutes until pale and voluminous.
  5. Add eggs one at a time, ensuring full emulsification, then stir in vanilla bean paste.
  6. Whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, soda, salt) together. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
  7. Divide batter between pans and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes until a tester comes out clean and the edges pull away from the pan. Cool completely.
  8. Make the frosting: Beat 1.5 cups of softened butter for 3 minutes. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Fold in 0.5 cup of cooled caramel sauce and 1 tsp flaky sea salt. Whip until it looks like a soft, velvety cloud.
  9. Assemble the cake by layering frosting and the white chocolate-coated toffee shards between the cake layers and on the exterior.