Julie Clark
Posted: Updated:
Chocolate Praline Cake
This Chocolate Praline Cake is a deliciously moist chocolate cake topped with a praline frosting and chopped pecans making this cake one you will not be able to resist!
I think I’ve died and gone to heaven! This Chocolate Praline Cake is literally calling my name and I can’t help but fall in love. That praline frosting alone is enough to make a person swoon.
Why you’ll love this cake:
- rich and delicious chocolate cake
- buttery praline pecan frosting
- easy sheet cake
- perfect for sharing at potlucks, picnics or family gatherings
- 100% homemade!
Easy Homemade Chocolate Cake
We used our fool-proof homemade chocolate cake for this recipe. If you’ve never made a from-scratch cake before, this is the one you should start with. It’s nearly impossible to mess up.
Yes, you could use a box cake mix if you’re pressed on time, but this cake is moist, bakes up tall and fluffy and is perfectly chocolatey delicious.
Do you have to add coffee to the cake? You’ll notice that one of the ingredients is strong coffee. Coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate, but your cake will not taste like coffee. We strongly recommend using the coffee for the best flavor, but if you absolutely can’t use coffee, use hot water instead.
Praline Frosting
The original recipe I was following out of my old cookbook called for a broiled pecan praline topping. You made the topping on the stovetop, then spread it on the hot baked cake and put it under the broiler for a few minutes until the pecans caramelized.
That topping was fantastically delicious, but it was really ugly and didn’t cover the top of the cake that well. For that reason, we decided to make a cross between that broiled praline topping and a traditional frosting.
The important thing to remember when working with this frosting is that you have to work quickly. The frosting will set up and harden slightly. For that reason, spread it on the cake immediately after making the frosting!
Can you make this cake in a different pan?
Yes. This chocolate cake recipe makes great cupcakes and also works well as a layer cake. Just remember, work quickly with the frosting. It will set quickly and be hard to spread on your cake.
How do you store this chocolate praline cake?
This cake is safe to store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 days. If you want to keep it longer than that, refrigerate it or freeze it.
Chocolate Praline Cake
This Chocolate Praline Cake is a deliciously moist chocolate cake topped with a praline frosting and chopped pecans making this cake one you will not be able to resist!
Servings 15
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powderIUI
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee
For the praline frosting:
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- ½ cup melted butter
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For the cake, put flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well.
- In a stand mixer, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla together. Slowly add in the mix of dry ingredients while the mixer is on low. Add the coffee and make sure everything is combined. The batter will be very thin.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when you touch it.
Make the frosting:
- In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar, pecans, butter and heavy cream.
- Heat over low heat, melt the butter and bring to a simmer. Boil lightly for two minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix well.
- Spread the frosting over the cake while the cake is cool but the frosting is still warm. It will harden as it sits so work with the frosting quickly.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of frosted cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 337IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
When do you add the pecans?