Double-chocolate-praline-fudge cake

Normally the praline topping can be drizzled over the top and down the sides, but I had a little mishap with the caramel. I like to make the cake the night before and let it cool over night. That way the ganache frosting won't melt so quickly when pouring the praline toppig.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

CHOCOLATE GANACHE INGREDIENTS:

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

PRALINE FROSTING INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

CAKE

1 Preheat oven to 350
2 Combine butter, cocoa, and water in a saucepan
3 Cook, stirring constantly over low heat until the mixture is smoth and butter has melted; remove from heat and cool.
4 Combine the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla; beat on medium speed with a mixer until smooth.
5 Combine the butter mixture and buttermilk mixture; beat until wel blended.
6 Combine the sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl. Mix well.
7 Gradually add the flour mixture to teh buttermilk mixture; beat until blended.
8 The batter should be thin.
9 Spray three 8" round cake pans with cooking spray and line them with parchment paper.
10 Pour the batter evenly into the pans and bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes or until done.
11 Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.

To assemble the cake:

12 Spread 1/2 cup ganache between the cake layers; spread the remainder on the sides of the cake and chill for at least 30 minutes.
13 Slowly pour the frosting over the center of the cake.
14 Spread it to the edges of the cake, allowing some frosting to run down the sides.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

15 Microwave the chocolate and cream in a glass bowl for 2-3 minutes on power level 5, whick until smooth.
16 Gradually add the butter, whisking until smooth and melted.
17 Cool, whicking often, until spreading consistency (about 15-2 minutes).

PRALINE FROSTING

18 Combine the butter, brown sugar, adn whipping cream in a 2 quart saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring often.
19 Boil 1 min; remove from heat adn whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla.
20 Add the pecans and stir gently for 2-5 minutes, or until the frosting begins to cool and thicken slightly.
21 Pour immediatle over the cooled cake.