Southern Chocolate Praline Cake

Pralines are among the most popular candies in the South. So, if the candy is a longtime favorite of yours, after one bite of this rich, moist cake, you’ll fall in love with the sweet, caramel candy all over again.

The foundation of the recipe is the incredibly moist dark chocolate cake. But it’s the Praline Buttercream Frosting that brings the famous candy flavor to the table. Ironically, there are no actual praline candies in the frosting, only their sweet ingredients.

Top the praline cake with cooled caramel sauce for added gooey delight. This is a very sweet dessert, so it’s best served with a nice helping of Blue Bell Old Fashioned Vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp salt

1 cup whole milk

¾ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup boiling water

1 recipe Praline Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

1 recipe Caramel topping (recipe follows)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray that contains flour.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add milk, oil, and eggs, then beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined. Carefully add 1 cup of boiling water, beating until the mixture is even. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pans.

3. Bake the cake layers until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 25 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Gently remove cake from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.

4. Spread Praline Buttercream Frosting between layers and on top and sides of the cake. Drizzle with caramel topping.

   
   

Praline Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 ½ cups butter, divided

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

½ cup plus 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, divided

1 cup chopped pecans

7 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt ½ cup of butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and corn syrup; cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture darkens to a deep caramel color similar to the photo, 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Gradually add ½ cup cream and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in pecans, and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup of butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the pecan mixture and beat until well combined. Add the remaining two tablespoons of cream and beat until incorporated. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

¼ cup water

1/3 cup cream

1 tbsp light corn syrup

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

½ tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt (if desired)

Instructions

1. In a heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Stir in 1/4 cup of water. Stir in cream and corn syrup.

2. Cook and stir until bubbly (the mixture may look curdled). Cook and stir for an additional two minutes.

3. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until smooth. Yields one cup.