Chocolate Praline Torte

Share the Fabulous!

Happy Wednesday!! I wanted to share a recipe! This is one you will LOVE! It is easy, delicious and a real wow cake! My family, especially Mike loves this dessert! It is decadent, rich with caramel and light at the same time with fresh whipped cream! AND bonus!! You can make this with a box cake mix! I am not against a box cake mix, they have spent millions of dollars to make a fabulous cake in a box and I will use them from time to time. Remember to look for a few HELPFUL HINTS in the recipe. They can just make cooking a bit easier and less stressful! Another great thing with this cake, it can be made ahead of time. It is better if you make it either early in the day or even prepare the cake the day before. Hope you enjoy! Leave a comment if you did, or even if you didn’t…. I LOVE hearing from you!

Chocolate Praline Torte

1 stick of softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup coarse chopped pecans

1 box cake mix devils food plus ingredients to prepare cake

Topping:

1 3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

How to…

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In heavy saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar and heavy cream together. Mix in pecans. Set aside, grease TWO 9 inch cake pans. Pour caramel pecan mixture into pans evenly dividing ( well, as best you can, doesn’t have to be perfect! Cooking should be fun!) Prepare box cake mix, pour cake batter evenly between the two cake pans. Cook at 325 degrees for about 35-40 min, HELPFUL HINT: insert a toothpick in the cake and pull it out to test doneness. It should have a few crumbs on it when you pull it out, if it does PERFECT, if it comes out clean, your cake is over cooked! Cool in pan for 10 min, then gently invert onto plate and let completely cool. HELPFUL HINT: put the cake on a piece of parchment paper to make it easier later to move cake, otherwise the bottom will be sticking a little. Make Topping while cake is cooling. Whip 1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream. 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. HELPFUL HINT: If I am using my kitchen aid mixer, I throw a dish towel over to keep the splatters going everywhere! Whip until stiff peaks appear. HELPFUL HINT: to check for stiff peaks, take your beater, go straight down in the whipped cream pull it straight up , then to the side and hold for 5 seconds , if the cream stays put, they are stiff enough! To complete the cake, place one layer on a plate, caramel side up, cover with 1/2 whip cream. Place second layer on top , again caramel side up, and pipe whipped cream over top. HELPFUL HINT: Use a piping bag and a star tip to make it pretty! Remember we all eat with our eyes first! Finally, top with chocolate curls or chocolate shavings! HELPFUL HINT: use vegetable peeler and a bar of softened chocolate and slowly shave down the long side to make curls. OR use a micro plane and you can grate chocolate chips if you! Both will look fabulous! Keep in the fridge, you want to take it out about ten minutes before you eat! ENJOY!!!!

Take one stick ( 1/2 cup) of softened butter.

1 cup packed brown sugar (can be light or dark)

1/4 cup heavy cream ( my glass is really beat up! Time for a new one! Gift idea Mike!!) Melt butter , cream and sugar in heavy saucepan over med low heat.

Mix in 3/4 cup coarse chopped pecans

Stir well, Looks delicious!

Divide the mixture between two 9 inch greased cake pans.

Add the cake mix, again dividing betweent the two cake pans.

Add the cake mix, again dividing between the two cake pans.

Gently smooth out to the edges, it is okay if it is not perfect, you will see an edge of caramel around the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 min. HELPFUL HINT: cake is done when toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs, if it is totally clean, it is overcooked and may be a little dry.

Once done, let cool in pan for 10 min then invert to a plate and let it completely cool.

For the topping, whip together 1 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla.

HELPFUL HINT: I throw a dish towel over it to catch all the flying cream!

Whip until stiff peaks ,HELPFUL HINT:to check for stiff peaks, insert beater straight down into cream and then straight up, hold it for about 5 seconds and then turn to side ( see picture) if peaks stay straight and don’t droop, then you have stiff peaks!

Place one cake caramel side up on serving plate, and cover with half of the whipped cream. Make it pretty! HELPFUL HINT: Use a piping bag and a large star frosting tip.

HELPFUL HINT: use a vegetable peeler to make small chocolate curls, or you can use a micro plane to make chocolate dust.

Cute, little curls. You can make bigger curls if you would like.

Repeat with second cake, putting it caramel side up on top of whipped cream covered cake, using piping bag to make swirls of cream. Covering the top layer, leave a little cake showing, We want to show the delicious caramel pecans! Sprinkle top of cake with chocolate dust and chocolate curls.