Chocolate Pecan Cake

Recipe Description

If you love Chocolate and Pecans, you are going to enjoy this cake.  It is like a German Chocolate but I think better! The caramel and pecans on top remind you of turtle candy.  The moist chocolate cake is so silky smooth and delicious with the caramel and pecans you want more!  It is great when served alone or with vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Grease, flour and line 8inch round cake pans with parchment paper
3. melt dark chocolate in the microwave 
4. In the bowl of a mixer, attached with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
5. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition
6. Add milk and beat again
7. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa and add to the bowl, beat again until just combined
8. Mix two spoons of the cake batter into the melted dark chocolate bowl, stirring quickly. Then add it all to the cake batter bowl. Mix until just combined.
9. Pour the batter equally into the cake pans, making sure there are ⅔ full. There will be some extra batter left, I make some extra cupcakes from it.
10. Bake each cake for 25-35 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean with just a few crumbs on it.
11. Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from the tin. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack or cool in the refrigerator to firm up. Level all cake layers before assembling.

1. Heat sugar in a big saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon
2. The sugar will start clumping and slowly melt into a thick amber-colored liquid. Make sure to continue to the next step immediately when it gets this color, over cooking will result in a bitter taste.
3. Once the sugar is melted completely, carefully add the butter and stir it in until it's completely melted and combined in the sauce (you may want to use a whisk here to blend it in more easily)
4. In a slow stream, add the cream in four additions while continuously stirring, do this carefully, the hot sugar reacts to the lower cream temperature and bubbles up.
5. Keep boiling the caramel sauce for an extra minute or two and remove from heat. Stir in the salt and let cool down completely before using. Keep refrigerated in a jar for up to two weeks.

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl and set over a pan of slowly simmering water. Whisk continuously by hand until mixture is warm and sugar has dissolved completely. Test by rubbing some between two fingers and assuring there are no grains.
2. Transfer to a mixer bowl with a whisk attachment and whisk starting on low and slowly increasing to medium-high. Whisk until glossy and fluffy with high peaks. About 7-10 minutes. Touch the bottom of the bowl to make sure it's not warm before continuing to the next step.
3. Reduce mixer to medium-low speed and add the butter, few tablespoons at a time. Mix well after each addition. If after all the butter has been added it breaks into a fluid mixture with the butter separating (looks like cottage cheese), increase the speed to high and mix until it comes together.
4. Add 2 cups of cooled salted caramel and mix half a minute longer. Set aside.

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Place the pecans on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and place in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until slightly browned and fragrant (be careful not to burn)
3. Remove and let cool completely. Chop pecans leaving a few halves full for decoration

1. Make this last, when rest of the cake is already assembled. Otherwise it might set too soon
2. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and heat cream in the microwave for about 1-1.5 minutes until hot
3. Pour cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute
4. Melt the butter and honey in the microwave for 40 seconds until completely melted
5. Stir ganache with a small spatula, slowly from the center outwards in a steady round movement
6. Stir in the melted butter/honey mixture and the vanilla extract

1. Place first cake layer on tray and add 1 cup of buttercream going all the way to the edges (I use a piping bag). Carefully straighten the buttercream and sprinkle some chopped pecans. Drizzle some salted caramel on top.
2. Repeat with the 2nd layer
3. Add the third layer and make sure cake is straight and all layers are aligned. Add another layer of buttercream on top and make the chocolate ganache. Let the Ganache cool for a couple of minutes and then pour it on the top of the cake, in round motions from the center until it covers the top completely and slides down from the sides. Use spatula if required.
4. On top layer, drizzle salted caramel sauce all around as you like. Place the whole pecan halves on top.  Let the caramel sauce run over the sides.