- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
For the Chocolate Spice Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
- Stir in the boiling water. The batter will be thin, but that’s okay.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Pecan Praline:
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans for a few minutes until they become fragrant. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir constantly until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber color.
- Stir in the toasted pecans.
- Pour the pecan praline mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let it cool and harden, then break it into pieces.
For the Brown Butter Buttercream:
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