Pecan Chocolate Cake with Praline Cream

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Whenever I have to make a festive cake – I make chocolate brownie cake. It’s easy to make, only requires one bowl and a whisk, and the result is always delicious and beautiful. This chocolate brownie cake is perfect for chocolate and pecan lovers.

It’s made if pecan chocolate cake, topped with chocolate truffle domes and decorated with lots of praline whipped cream. You can easily make this cake gluten free, and if you like pecans – you’re gonna love it!

Pecan Chocolate Cake with Praline Cream

Photo: Natalie Levin



Pecan Chocolate Cake with Praline Cream

For pecan chocolate cake:

  • 200 grams dark chocolate
  • 150 grams (1 stick + 2 tbsp.) butter
  • 150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 75 grams (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free version)
  • 25 grams (1/4 cup) ground pecans
  • 1 tsp. baking powder

Chocolate and praline truffles domes:

  • 100 grams dark chocolate
  • 75 ml. (1/3 cup) whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp. praline paste
  • Pinch of salt

Praline Chantilly cream:

  • 250 ml. (1 cup) cold whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp. powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp. praline paste
  • 1 tbsp. instant vanilla pudding powder

Decoration:

  • Toasted pecans
  • Bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
  • A little gold dust
  1. Pecan chocolate cake: preheat oven to 170c degrees and grease the pan.
  2. Chop the chocolate and put in a bowl. Add butter and melt together in the microwave or over double boiler until everything is melted and mixture is smooth.
  3. Add sugar and salt and beat until smooth.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, while whisking between additions.
  5. Add flour, ground pecans and baking powder and mix just until incorporated.
  6. Pour the mixture into the pan, and smooth the top.
  7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs and its central part is slightly soft.
  8. Cool completely before assembly and decoration. The cake does not rise a lot when baking and that’s fine.
  9. Chocolate and praline truffles domes: chop the chocolate and put in a bowl.
  10. Heat a small pot of cream, praline past and salt to a simmer.
  11. Pour the cream mixture over the chopped chocolate, wait a minute, and beat until you get a smooth ganache.
  12. Pour the ganache into a 3-4 cm silicon dome mold pan and flatten the top.
  13. Freeze the domes for 1-2 hours or until they are completely frozen.
  14. Praline cream: in a bowl of a mixer whip cream, powdered sugar, praline paste and cream stabilizer until cream is formed.
  15. Transfer the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with jagged 1-2 cm piping tip.
  16. Assemble and decorate the cake: extract the truffles domes from the pan and spread freely at the top of the cake.
  17. Pipe praline cream in between truffles domes.
  18. Garnish with pecans, chopped chocolate and a little gold dust.
  • Keep the pecan chocolate cake in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
  • Praline paste can be obtained in baking specialty stores for products and materials.
  • Instead of pecans you can use any other type of nut you like.
  • If you want to get a higher cake, bake in a 20 cm round cake pan.

Pecan Chocolate Cake with Praline Cream

Photo: Natalie Levin