Decadent dark chocolate caramel cake

I made this for Tim's 22nd bday. A total keeper. He said it tastes like sees scotchmallows. Add a layer of fluff and i am sure it would taste even more like it. Super moise dark chocolate cake, cooled, poked with a chopstick, and covered with homemade sea salted caramel.

See "Sea Salted Caramel" post for the caramel. Prepare 1 1/2 of a batch. Thin to desired consistency with cream or half and half. If it gets too thin, cook some moisture out. Pour when just warm over poked cake.

adapted from: Double Chocolate Layer cake
Gourmet | March 1999

This old-fashioned chocolate cake made our staff swoon!
Yield: Serves 12 to 14

For cake
4 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk (or use Saco buttermilk powder and water)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease 9x13 pan. Line 10 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, add cocoa powder, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour and 10 min.