I made this Dulce de Leche Cake for two birthday so far, once for my husband’s side of the family and once for mine. Both times the cake was a hit, everyone absolutely loved it! It’s so easy to make, but no one will know because it tastes like a lot of time and work went into making it. It is so delicious! Psst…there is also a walnut surprise inside to make it extra special. The sponge cake is so soft and fluffy, you get that yummy dulce de leche flavor, but not overpowering, chocolate and walnuts add beautiful texture and richness to this cake. What I love most about this cake is that it isn’t overly sweet, which is how we like our dessert. Easy recipe + super tasty = everyone wins!
Beat sponge cake: 15 minutes
Bake sponge cake: 350 F
Bake time: 35 minutes
Servings: 16
INGREDIENTS
Sponge Cake
9 large eggs
¾ cup white granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
Ganache
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips 
Frosting
⅓ cup dulce de leche
8 oz pack cream cheese (room temperature)
¾ cup white granulated sugar
3½ cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup walnuts
For those who don’t know, this is what Dolce de Leche looks like. It’s condensed milk that’s been cooked for a long period of time that it turns really thick. You can usually find it in a Mexican food isle.
Making the sponge cake:
1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Place 9 large eggs in a deep bowl and completely submerge them in really warm water (borderline hot) for 7-10 minutes. The eggs will turn out fluffier when beaten if they’re warm. Remove them from water and wipe with paper towels, then crack them into a stand mixer bowl. Using a stand mixer beat the eggs with ¾ cup of sugar on high speed for about 15 minutes until thick and fluffy. Slowly add 1 cup of flour sifting while folding the flour in gently using a spatula or a large spoon. Make sure you only mix going one direction. For example if you’re mixing clockwise, only mix clockwise, do not switch directions. Fold the flour in well to make sure there’s no air pockets left filled with flour. Grease a round 9 inch baking pan with baking spray and empty your batter in to the pan. If you have a springform pan it would work even better. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for about 35 minutes.
3. Insert a toothpick in to your cake, if it comes out clean that means the sponge cake is ready. Pull it out of the oven, place the sponge cake on a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
4. Toast the walnuts in a frying pan on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes constantly stirring so they don’t burn. Remove from the pan and let them cool, then crush in to small pieces. I pace them in a ziplock bag not closing it all the way and crush them by rolling a rolling pin over them.
How to make chocolate ganache:
5. In a microwave safe dish microwave 1 cup heavy whipping cream for 1 minute and 30 seconds then immediately add 1 ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips and mix well until you get a smooth chocolate ganache. If you still have some chunks of chocolate that won’t melt microwave it for 10 more seconds at a time and mix until smooth.
6. Take the sponge cake off the cooling rack and cut it carefully in two with a serrated knife. Place it back on the cooling rack and spread the ganache generously on the inside of both halves of the sponge cake. Set aside the leftover ganache for decorating the cake. Place the top half of the sponge cake on a serving platter, we’re using the bottom half for the top since it’s usually more flat. Coat the sponge cake with a nice layer of crushed walnuts. 
How to make the frosting:
7. Using a stand mixer, mix together 8 oz pack of room temperature cream cheese, ¾ cup of white granulated sugar and ⅓ cup of dolce de leche until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spoon a few times to make sure the filling is mixed well and you won’t get chunks of cream cheese. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and mix well. Slowly add 3½ cups of heavy whipping cream while mixing on low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a couple more time, then turn the speed up to high and beat the cream until it’s really thick and smooth. Make sure not to over beat it though or it will start getting more liquid and separating.
8. Use a pastry bag or cut a small piece off a corner of a ziplock bag and insert a cake decorating tip. I used a Wilton 2D tip for the roses. Fill the bag with about ⅙ of the frosting and refrigerate.
9. Spread a thick layer of frosting on the sponge cake topped with walnuts and place the top half of the cake on.
10. Cover the whole cake with frosting. I frosted mine rustic style. Take the leftover ganache and microwave it 10 second at a time mixing it until it’s runny enough to make a nice drip on the cake, but not too warm. Using a spoon pour the ganache down the edges of the cake this will give it a beautiful drip detail. You don’t need to cover the whole top of the cake with ganache, just the edges.
11. Pipe out roses around the rim of the cake. It might take a little practice, but that’s ok. Refrigerate until it’s ready to serve.
So simple, beautiful, and delicious! You cannot go wrong with this cake! Enjoy!
- SPONGE CAKE
- 9 large eggs
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- GANACHE
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- FROSTING
- ⅓ cup dulce de leche
- 8 oz pack cream cheese
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 3½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup walnuts
- Preheat the oven at 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Place 9 large eggs in a deep bowl and completely submerge them in really warm water (borderline hot) for 7-10 minutes. The eggs will turn out fluffier when beaten if they're warm. Remove them from water and wipe with paper towels, then crack them into a stand mixer bowl. Using a stand mixer beat the eggs with ¾ cup of sugar on high speed for about 15 minutes until thick and fluffy. Slowly add 1 cup of flour sifting while folding the flour in gently using a spatula or a large spoon. Make sure you only mix going one direction. For example if you're mixing clockwise, only mix clockwise, do not switch directions. Fold the flour in well to make sure there's no air pockets left filled with flour. Grease a round 9 inch baking pan with baking spray and empty your batter in to the pan. If you have a springform pan it would work even better. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for about 35 minutes.
- Insert a toothpick in to your cake, if it comes out clean that means the sponge cake is ready. Pull it out of the oven, place the sponge cake on a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
- Toast the walnuts in a frying pan on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes constantly stirring so they don't burn. Remove from the pan and let them cool, then crush in to small pieces. I pace them in a ziplock bag not closing it all the way and crush them by rolling a rolling pin over them.
- In a microwave safe dish microwave 1 cup heavy whipping cream for 1 minute and 30 seconds then immediately add 1 ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips and mix well until you get a smooth chocolate ganache. If you still have some chunks of chocolate that won't melt microwave it for 10 more seconds at a time and mix until smooth.
- Take the sponge cake off the cooling rack and cut it carefully in two with a serrated knife. Place it back on the cooling rack and spread the ganache generously on the inside of both halves of the sponge cake. Set aside the leftover ganache for decorating the cake. Place the top half of the sponge cake on a serving platter, we're using the bottom half for the top since it's usually more flat. Coat the sponge cake with a nice layer of crushed walnuts.
- Using a stand mixer, mix together 8 oz pack of room temperature cream cheese, ¾ cup of white granulated sugar and ⅓ cup of dolce de leche until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spoon a few times to make sure the filling is mixed well and you won't get chunks of cream cheese. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and mix well. Slowly add 3½ cups of heavy whipping cream while mixing on low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a couple more time, then turn the speed up to high and beat the cream until it's really thick and smooth. Make sure not to over beat it though or it will start getting more liquid and separating.
- Use a pastry bag or cut a small piece off a corner of a ziplock bag and insert a cake decorating tip. I used a Wilton 2D tip for the roses. Fill the bag with about ⅙ of the frosting and refrigerate.
- Spread a thick layer of frosting on the sponge cake topped with walnuts and place the top half of the cake on.
- Cover the whole cake with frosting. I frosted mine rustic style. Take the leftover ganache and microwave it 10 second at a time mixing it until it's runny enough to make a nice drip on the cake, but not too warm. Using a spoon pour the ganache down the edges of the cake this will give it a beautiful drip detail. You don't need to cover the whole top of the cake with ganache, just the edges.
- Pipe out roses around the rim of the cake. It might take a little practice, but that's ok. Refrigerate until it's ready to serve. Enjoy!
