Chocolate Praline Cake
Serves 16
45 mins prep
35 mins cook
30 mins Chill Time
110 mins total
This chocolate praline cake is 4 layers of soft, rich and moist chocolate cake with silky smooth milk chocolate ganache and crunchy praline pecans. It’s covered in fluffy chocolate frosting, a stunningly easy chocolate drip, and more praline pecans on top. Each component is straightforward and easy to make. It's a stunningly decadent chocolate cake that will satisfy every craving and leave you asking for another slice!
Praline Pecans
Layers
Filling
Chocolate Buttercream
Drip
Scan QR code to shop the ingredients!
Get ingredients delivered
Scan QR code to shop the ingredients!
Get ingredients delivered
Praline Pecans
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). In a large bowl, whisk together egg white, vanilla, and salt until slightly frothy. Add pecans and mix to coat.
⅕ 1 large egg white⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract⅕ ½ sea salt⅕ 4 pecan halvesAdd sugar and cinnamon into the pecans. Mix well to coat.
⅕ ¾ granulated sugar⅕ 2 cinnamonPour coated pecans onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, mixing the pecans every 10 minutes to prevent burning. They are ready when the pecans are golden with a crisp sugary exterior.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Store in airtight container at room temperature (if making ahead).
Layers
Grease two 8” round cake pans (see alternatives in notes) with a piece of cold butter and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Add cocoa powder into a medium heat safe bowl. Pour boiling hot water and whisk until no more lumps remain. Set aside to cool while making the batter.
⅕ 1 dutch cocoa powder⅕ 1 waterUse an electric mixer to beat softened butter, oil, sugar, and salt until light and creamy.
⅕ ½ unsalted butter⅕ ½ vegetable oil⅕ 1 granulated sugar⅕ ¼ sea saltAdd vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add buttermilk, vinegar, and beat to combine.
⅕ 4 large eggs⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract⅕ 1 vinegar⅕ 1 buttermilkSift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into the same bowl. Fold with a wire whisk until mostly combined.
⅕ 2 baking powder⅕ 1 baking soda⅕ 2 all purpose flourPour cocoa powder and hot water mixture into the cake batter and fold until no more dry streaks of flour remain.
Divide cake batter evenly between two buttered and lined cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached. Let cool for 10 minutes before flipping them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Filling
I like to start the ganache before the cake layers to give it plenty of time to cool. Bring a pot with a few inches of water to a simmer on the stove. Find a large heat safe bowl that fits on top of the pot.
Chop the chocolate with a serrated knife and place into the bowl. Pour cream over the chocolate.
⅕ 20 milk chocolate⅕ 1 heavy whipping creamPlace bowl on top of the pot of simmering water and mix the ganache gently with a spatula. Stir frequently so it melts evenly. Once the chocolate is mostly melted, whisk with a wire whisk to help it come together and become smooth. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 7 second increments stirring frequently.
Take it off the heat. Place the bowl of ganache into the freezer to cool, mixing every 5-10 minutes until the ganache becomes the consistency of thick frosting and holds its shape.
Chocolate Buttercream
Beat softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl frequently. This will take 7-10 minutes.
⅕ 1 unsalted butter⅕ 3 powdered sugarAdd vanilla and salt, beat until combined. Add cocoa powder and beat.
⅕ ¼ sea salt⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract⅕ ¾ cocoa powderAdd cream gradually, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well to combine. Set aside at room temperature until ready to frost.
⅕ ⅓ heavy whipping cream
Drip
Bring the cream to a simmer in a pot on the stove. Place chocolate chips into a medium heat safe bowl.
⅕ ½ heavy whipping cream⅕ ½ semisweet chocolate chipsPour the cream over the chocolate, cover, and let sit for a few minutes. Whisk together until smooth. Set aside in a large cup or bowl until ready to use.
Assembly
Start off by slicing each cake layer in half horizontally to create 4 layers total. Use a large serrated bread knife and a sawing motion
Place a dollop of ganache onto the bottom of a cake board or cake stand. Place the first layer onto the cake board and cover with a third of the milk chocolate ganache. Sprinkle chopped praline pecans over the ganache. Place the next cake layer on top, repeating with the ganache and the praline pecans until you get to the last layer. If the ganache is too thick and difficult to work with, warm it up on top of a pot of hot water or blasting it in the microwave a few seconds at a time.
Frost the outside of the cake with chocolate buttercream. Smooth it out with a long metal spatula or a cake scraper.
Test the drip on the back of the cake. If it’s too thick, heat it up by placing the cup of chocolate drip in a bit of hot water. If it’s too thin, wait another 5 minutes and try again. Pour the drip on top of the cake, spreading it out to the edges with a small offset spatula, letting it fall down the edges of the cake.
Chill the cake for 5 minutes in the freezer to help set the drip and arrange more praline pecans along the top edge of the cake in a circle. Slice and serve the cake at room temperature.
