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1
Preheat oven to 350; grease three 8- or 9-inch ROUND cake pans; line with wax paper; set aside.
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2
CAKE --
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3
Cook butter, cocoa, water in a saucepan over low heat; stirring constantly, until butter melts and it's all smooth; remove from heat; cool.
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4
In a mixing bowl, combine milk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla at medium speed until smooth.
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5
Add butter mixture to milk mixture, blending to smooth.
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6
In another bowl, combine sugar, flour and salt; gradually add to milk-butter mixture, blending until smooth--batter will be THIN (good, 'cause when we eat this -- we won't!)
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7
heeheh!
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8
Pour batter into prepared pans; bake for 22-24 minutes (set).
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9
Cool cakes on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans, cool layers completely.
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10
GANACHE --
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11
Microwave chips and cream in a glass bowl 2-3 minutes until melted.
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12
Whisk until smooth; gradually add butter, continuing to whisk away the lumps.
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13
Cool--whisking every 15-20 minutes--until of spreading consistency.
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14
FROSTING --
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15
Bring butter, brown sugar and whipping cream to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, boil ONE MINUTE; remove from heat.
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16
Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth; add toasted pecans, stirring gently for 2-5 minutes until frosting begins to cool (no snitchin' in the kitchen!
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17
), and thickens slightly.
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18
Immediately---pour over cake.
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19
Makes nearly 2 cups.
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20
FINISH THE CAKE --
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21
Spread about 1/2-cup ganach between cake layers; spread remainder on sides of cake ONLY (NOT THE TOP!
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22
).
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23
Chill cake for 1/2 hour.
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24
Pour Praline Frosting SLOWING over the top, spreading to the edges, allowing some to dribble over the sides.
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25
Freeze if desired--thaw at room temp 4-6 hours.
