New Orleans Double-chocolate Praline-fudge Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 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
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 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

Recipe

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