chocolate pecan praline

[threeplusfire]

So here is quick and easy chocolate pecan praline cake. I will fully admit to using cake mixes, because they are reliable. The trick to cake mixes is to never follow the box directions and always monkey with them. Think of them as conveniently packaged dry stuff. In my experience of baking, I have yet to notice any substantial difference between a cake made with a mix and a cake made with dry ingredients I gathered up myself.

Prepackaged frosting, while disgusting appealing sometimes, remains however a sinful thing not to be used. Make your own frosting. It is not hard.



8 ounces butter, cut up in chunks
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 package devil's food cake mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil of choice or 4 ounces butter, your choice
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Get two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a heavy saucepan, place the butter, cream and brown sugar over low to medium heat. Cook for about three or four minutes, until the butter is melted. (I recommend stirring a lot.) Pour the hot praline mix into the cake pans and shake the pecans out over it. Set this off to the side to cool off completely.

Throw the cake mix, water, eggs and butter or oil into a bowl and mix. (The electric mixer is your friend here.) Mix at high speed for a few minutes until this is smooth and fluffy. Pour the batter out into the cake pans, and smooth it over the praline with a spatula.

Put the cakes on the middle rack in the oven for approximately 35 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back from the press of your fingers, or when a tooth pick comes out clean in the center. The cake will pull away from the sides of the pan. Take the cakes out and set the pans on a wire rack. (If you don't have a wire rack, you can take one of your oven racks out prior to cooking and use that. Let the cakes cool for at least ten minutes. Flip the cakes out onto plates or wire racks. Let them cool completely before icing. Put one layer with praline side up, add some frosting and sandwich the other with the praline side down. top with frosting.



Now as far as frosting - the original recipe from Anne Byrn recommended a sweet cream icing. While this is fluffy and nice, I'm not convinced it is a perfect match for the cake. I am thinking the next one I make will have a have a carmel frosting or glaze. Here are icing ideas.



1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Again, the electric mixer is your friend. Especially a stand mixer. Slap the bowl and beaters in the freezer for a couple minutes before you start. Put the cream in and beat at high speed until it doubles in volume and holds soft peaks. Stop and add the sugar. Continue beating until it forms stiff peaks.





8 ounces of butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk or cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put the butter and sugars in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir this until it boils, which takes about two to three minutes. Add the milk/cream, stir and put back onthe heat until it boils again. Take the pan off the heat and add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat this with a spoon (wood!) until smooth.

Sifting your sugar helps avoid lumps but is not necessary.

Use the icing immediately for frosting purposes. If it hardens up, put the pan back on low heat and stir until it softens back up.