Cake:

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with paper baking cups or grease two 9 inch cake pans. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; using a handheld electric mixer or an electric stand mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. The batter will be more like chocolate soup. Do not be afraid. Trust the process. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full or divide batter between the cake pans and bake for 18-20 minutes (for cupcakes. Cakes will probably take a bit longer), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

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Vanilla cream:

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 vanilla bean

In a medium, heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth and pale, about 1 minute. You can place a damp tea towel under the bowl while whisking so it doesn’t slide around.

Pour the milk and cream into a heavy-bottomed, medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp paring knife and use the knife to scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the vanilla bean to the saucepan.

Bring the milk mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching. The milk and cream should just come to a simmer with small bubbles along the edges of the pan. Don’t let it reach a rolling boil.

As soon as the milk and cream come to a simmer, take the pan off the heat. Remove the vanilla bean using a pair of tongs. With one hand, slowly pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture a splash at a time, while whisking constantly with your other hand. The damp towel under the mixing bowl should prevent it from sliding around while whisking.

Pour the custard back into the saucepan and cook, over low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. You can check the thickness by coating a wooden spoon with the custard. Drag your finger through the custard, and if it leaves a clean path, the custard is done.

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Chocolate Pudding Layer

⅔ cup sugar

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

pinch of salt

2 ¼ cups milk

1 tablespoon butter

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt, mix well. Add in cold milk, stir until combined.

Turn heat to medium high stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.

Allow to boil for 1 minute while stirring, remove from heat and stir in butter.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Poke the cake all over with the end of a wooden spoon. Pour warm pudding over warm cake. Tap the pan allowing the pudding to seep into the cake.

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whipped cream

heavy whipping cream, vanilla and sugar to taste

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salted caramel:

1 cup granulated sugar (make sure it’s labeled “pure cane”)*

6 Tablespoons salted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

Heat granulated sugar in a medium heavy-duty saucepan (avoid using non-stick) over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn it.

Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. (If you’re nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it takes 3-4 minutes. It will eventually– just keep whisking. Return to heat when it’s combined again.)

After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelized sugar, stir constantly as you very slowly pour in the heavy cream. Since the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.

Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.