Bourbon-Chocolate Cake With Praline Frosting

A friend of mine was talking about how awesome this cake was - so I asked her where she got the recipe. This is from Southern Living magazine (Sept '06). Praline Frosting and Bourbon Glaze are also needed, and posted separately.

• Ready In: 1 hr 3 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup  unsweetened 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

Directions

1. Grease bottoms of 3 8-inch round cake pans; line with wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper and sides of pans; set aside.
2. Cook first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until butter melts and mixture is smooth; remove from heat, and let cool.
3. Beat buttermilk and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add butter mixture to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended. Combine sugar, flour, and salt; gradually add to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended. (Batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 28 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. (Cakes will appear thin).
5. Spread about 1/2 cup Chocolate Ganache between each cake layer; spread remaining Chocolate Ganache on sides of cake. (Do not frost top of cake). Chill cake 30 minutes. Pour warm Praline Frosting slowly over top of cake, spreading to edges. (Cover and let stand up to 24 hours, if desired).
6. Pierce about 25 holes in top of cake using a wooden or metal skewer. Pour warm Bourbon Glaze over cake.