Chocolate Praline Cake Kathy Virgin

Cake:

Nonstick Vegetable Spray

½ cup butter, cut into slices, room temperature

¼ cup cocoa

½ cup boiling water

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

¼ cup buttermilk

1 large egg

½ tsp vanilla

Ganache:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 Tbsp. cream

2 Tbsp. butter, cut into ½ cubes

Praline:

¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed

¼ cup whipping dream

3 Tbsp. butter

¾ cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 inch cake pan with vegetable spray. Line with parchment and spray. Dust with flour.

Place butter and cocoa in a medium bowl. Pour ½ cup boiling water over; stir. Let stand 2 minutes; whisk until blended. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in another medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, egg and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually whisk cocoa mixture into buttermilk mixture; whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture in three additions, whisking to blending between additions (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run knife around the edge to release cake. Invert onto rack and remove pan and parchment. Cool completely.

Ganache:

Place chocolate and cream in microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring occasionally, stirring until melted and smooth. Stir in butter. Let stand until spreadable, about thirty. Spread over top and sides of cake. Chill 2 hours and up to a day.

Praline:

Stir first three ingredients in heavy large saucepan over med-high heat until butter melts. Boil one minute without stirring. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla. Add pecans; stir just to incorporate. Quickly pour praline over cake. Spread just to edges. Topping sets quickly.

Can be made a day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store a t room temperature.