New Orleans Double-chocolate Praline-fudge Cake

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Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1⁄4 cup cocoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache

  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 1⁄3 cup whipping cream
  • 1⁄4 cup butter, cut into pieces

 

  • Praline Frosting
    • 1⁄4 cup butter
    • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
    • 1⁄3 cup whipping cream
    • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

    Instructions

    Cake:
    1 _ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    2 _ Combine butter, cocoa and water in a saucepan.
    3 _ Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until the mixture is smooth and butter has melted; remove from heat and cool.
    4 _ Combine the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla; beat on medium speed with a mixer until smooth.
    5 _ Combine the butter mixture and buttermilk mixture; beat until well blended.
    6 _ Combine the sugar, flour and salt in a bowl; mix well.
    7 _ Gradually add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture; beat until blended.
    8 _ The batter should be thin.
    9 _ Spray three 8″ round cake pans with cooking spray and line them with wax paper.
    10 _ Pour the batter evenly into the pans and bake at 350 degrees for 22-24 minutes or until cake tests for doneness.
    11 _ Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.
    12 _ To assemble the cake:.
    13 _ Spread 1/2 c ganache between the cake layers; spread the remainder on the sides of the cake and chill for 30 minutes.
    14 _ Slowly pour the frosting over the center of the cake.
    15 _ Spread it to the edges of the cake, allowing some frosting to run down the sides.
    16 _ Chocolate Ganache:.
    17 _ Microwave the chocolate and cream in a glass bowl for 2-3 minutes, or until the chocolate is melted; whisk until smooth.
    18 _ Gradually add the butter, whisking until smooth and melted.
    19 _ Cool, whisking often, until spreading consistency, about 15-20 minutes.
    Praline Frosting:
    20 _ Combine the butter, brown sugar and whipping cream in a 2 quart saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring often.
    21 _ Boil 1 min; remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla.
    22 _ Add the pecans and stir gently for 2-5 minutes, or until the frosting begins to cool and thicken slightly.
    23 _ Pour immediately over the cake.