Chocolate Cake With Ganache and Praline Topping

Submitted by Realtor by day, Chef by night

"I found this one in bon appetit's July '09 issue and I'm posting it for my friend chef #1072593 cause she loves these praline cakes so much. She's got me dying to make one but I haven't gotten to it yet. So this one's for chef #1072593 Note: prep time is cooling time."

 

• Ready In: 32mins
• Ingredients: 20
• Yields: 1 cake
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• For the cake

• nonstick vegetable cooking spray
• 118.29 ml unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, room temp
• 59.14 ml unsweetened cocoa powder
• 118.29 ml boiling water
• 236.59 ml all purpous flour
• 236.59 ml sugar
• 2.46 ml baking soda
• 1.23 ml coarse kosher salt
• 59.14 ml buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 2.46 ml vanilla extract

• For the Ganache

• 236.59 ml semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 44.37 ml heavy whipping cream
• 29.58 ml unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

• For the Praline

• 177.44 ml packed dark brown sugar
• 59.14 ml heavy whipping cream
• 44.37 ml unsalted butter
• 177.44 ml powdered sugar
• 4.92 ml vanilla extract
• 236.59 ml pecans, toasted, chopped

directions

1. To make the cake:.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch cake pan with non-stick spray. Line with parchment paper. Spray parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
3. Place butter and cocoa powder in medium bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over; stir. Let stand 2 minutes; whisk until blended. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and coarse salt in another medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in another large bowl. Gradually whisk cocoa mixture into buttermilk mixture; whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, whisking to blend between additions (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake cake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run knife around pan edges to release cake. Invert onto rack; remove pan and parchment. Cool completely.
5. To make the Ganache:.
6. Place chocolate and cream in microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir in butter. Let stand until spreadable, about 30 minutes. Spread over top and sides of cake. Chill 2 hours or up to 1 day.
7. To make the Praline:.
8. Stir first 3 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until butter melts. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla. Add pecans; stir just to incorporate. Quickly pour praline mixture over cake. Spread just to edges (topping sets very quickly).
9. Can be made a day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.

Reviews

[ibdsassy1]

I was looking for a frosting recipe that didn't have any confectioner's sugar (since I didn't have any in the house and didn't have money to buy any) to top off my son's birthday cake. The Ganache frosting is AMAZING! Just used it on a plain brownie mix to make a brownie "cake" and it was a HUGE hit. Also was nice and lower sugar for my diabetic dad. I will be using this frosting recipe over and over. Next time I'll try making the cake too!

 

[Darkhunter]

I thought I had saved the best for last of recipes made for Comfort Cafe Summer 2009, and I was right! Truly a decadent, delicious, and delightful cake. And might I add, deserving of 5*stars! For the ganache, I used Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate. Seemed destined for this cake. And, you are right, you have to work quickly with the praline. A thing of beauty. Thnx so very much for posting this recipe, Realtor!

 

[gailanng]

Bless your heart, sugah, for this lovely recipe that I'm now proclaiming a family heirloom. Yes ma'am, this cake was born to be an upper class, Southern Belle. Made for Everyday is a Holiday.