Double Chocolate Praline Fudge Cake

I was watching an episode of Good Eats last night and it was all about chocolate, so I thought of this cake. I've had this recipe for a long time, too, but again - it's too good not to share! I don't have a picture of it, but next time I make it, I'll be sure to add one. This is super rich, decadent, chocolate heaven. Ya gotta try it!

You're in luck! I have a picture of it already... it doesn't look as nice as it would if you had made it because, well, you're much better at baking than I, but it works until you can make it and replace the picture. :) I didn't have pecans so I put toffee bits on top and that was quite tasty too!:)



Double Chocolate Praline Fudge Cake

Cake:
1 C. butter or margarine
1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa
1 C. water
1/2 C. buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 C. sugar
2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
Chocolate Ganache
Praline Frosting

Grease bottoms of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans; line with wax or parchment paper. Grease and flour wax paper and sides of pans. Cook first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts and mixture is smooth; remove from heat. Cool.
Beat buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add butter mixture to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended.
Combine sugar, flour and salt; gradually add to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; immediately remove wax paper. Cool completely on wire racks. (Layers will appear thin)
Spread about 1/2 cup ganache between cake layers; spread remainder on sides of cake. Do not frost top of cake. Chill cake for about 30 minutes. While cake is chilling, prepare praline frosting. Immediately pour praline frosting slowly over top of cake, spreading to edges, and allowing some frosting to run over sides of cake.

Chocolate Ganache

2 C. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate morsels
1/3 C. whipping cream
1/4 C. butter or margarine, cut into pieces

Microwave chocolate and cream in a glass bowl on MEDIUM (50%) power 2 to 3 minutes or until morsels are melted, stirring after 1 1/2 minutes; whisk until smooth. Gradually add butter, whisking until smooth. Cool, whisking often, about 25 minutes or until spreading consistency. Yield: about 2 cups

Praline Frosting:
Don't prepare this candy-like frosting ahead because it'll harden very quickly.

1/4 C. butter or margarine
1 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 C. whipping cream
1 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C. chopped pecans, toasted

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring often; boil 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add toasted pecans, stirring gently 3 to 5 minutes or until frosting begins to cool and thicken slightly. Pour frosting immediately over cake. Yield: about 2 cups