SALTED CARAMEL "DING DONG" CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake
• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick baking spray. Line the bottom of the pans with a round of parchment paper. In a medium bowl combine chocolate, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Pour hot water over and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and scraping down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the chocolate mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops.
• Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool in the pan for 10 minutes (cake dome will deflate slightly for an even top). Run a knife around the pans to loosen cakes; remove cakes and parchment paper. Transfer cakes to wire racks to cool completely.
• For the Ganache
• In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate and salt. Stir the sugar and water in a medium deep saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until sugar is deep amber, about 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over medium heat until hard caramel bits dissolve. Pour over chocolate in bowl. Add vanilla and stir until mixture is completely smooth. Let cool slightly.
• Place one cake layer in a 9-inch springform pan. Pour 1 cup ganache over. Chill until set, at least 30-45 minutes. Cover remaining ganache with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.
• For the Filling and Assembly
• Place the water in a small heatproof glass bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over; let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Heat the mixture in the microwave until gelatin dissolves (just a few seconds); set aside
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream, confectioners' sugar, and seeds from vanilla bean until soft peaks form. Add the gelatin and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Spoon the filling over the chilled ganache on cake layer in pan; smooth the top. Gently place second cake layer on top of cream (cake will rise above the edge of the pan). Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill until cream layer is set, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Remove sides from the pan. Using a knife or spatula remove any filling that may have leaked out to form smooth sides. Transfer cake to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Rewarm remaining ganache until just pourable (barely warm, not hot). Pour ganache over cake and allow ganache to drizzle down the sides of the cake, using an off-set spatula to help spread. Chill until ganache is set, at least 1 hour. (Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with a cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature before serving. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the sea salt. Enjoy!
• Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit, October 2012