Chocolate Espresso Fudge Cake with Salted Caramel Brownie Crust

Ingredients:

For the Brownie Crust:

• 1 and 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), plus more for greasing
• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 10 ounces of high-quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt

For the Cake:

• 2 and 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 and 1/4 cups of granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup of whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 cup of strong brewed espresso

For the Fudge Frosting:

• 12 ounces of high-quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
• 1 and 1/2 cups of heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups of confectioners' sugar

Instructions:

To Make the Brownie Crust:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• Melt the butter and sugar in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
• Add the flour mixture to the saucepan and stir until just combined.
• Stir in the chocolate pieces until they're evenly distributed.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
• Allow to cool completely.

To Make the Cake:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Add the milk and espresso to the mixing bowl and beat until combined.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and beat until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth out the tops.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Make the Fudge Frosting:

• In a double boiler, melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream until smooth.
• Stir in the softened butter and vanilla extract until combined.
• Gradually add the confectioners' sugar to the mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

To Assemble:

• Place one of the cooled cake layers on a serving plate or cake stand.
• Spread a thick layer of salted caramel brownie over the top of the cake layer, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
• Top with the second cake layer.
• Frost the entire cake with the espresso-infused fudge frosting.

To Serve:

• Slice and serve immediately.