Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Praline Topping

I discovered this delectably rich cake recipe in my July 2009 edition of Bon Appetit magazine, and knew I HAD to try it...chocolate cake, ganache, praline topping...what could be more satisfying? The first time I made the cake, I followed the exact directions, making it a one layer cake. Well, lets just say it didn't last very long, so I made it a couple weeks ago for Ryan's Birthday, and made it a two layer cake (by doubling the cake and ganache ingredients). Speaking from experience, please don't forget to chill the cake after you've poured the ganache on top, or you'll have a pool of chocolate when you pour on the warm praline. Enjoy!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
Cake
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, room temperature
• 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ganache
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Praline
• 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped
Preparation
FOR CAKE
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch cake pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment. Spray parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
• 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 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.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into 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.
FOR GANACHE
• 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. Transfer cake to plate. Chill 2 hours and up to 1 day.
FOR PRALINE
• 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 over cake. Spread just to edges (topping sets quickly). DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome. Store at room temperature.

Southern Red Velvet Cake

One of my all-time favorite cakes, red velvet is a moist cake complimented with a rich cream cheese icing. It is a popular cake from the south (courtesy Cakeman Raven) which includes cocoa powder, buttermilk and almost a whole bottle of red food coloring! This recipe won at a dessert contest we had at work. You gotta try it!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Crushed pecans, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake

Cooks Tip: I'll let you in on a secret for making sure you have no crumbs in your frosted cake. Apply a thin layer of frosting to the entire cake (called a crumb coat), and chill for about 30 minutes. Then apply another layer using the remaining frosting, which will "cover" the crumb coat for a pure white iced cake!

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally).