PECAN PRALINE CAKE

By gaster16

Ingredients

• SYRUP:
• 2-1/2 cups cake flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
• 12 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• PECAN PRALINE TOPPING:
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 1-1/2 cups pecan halves

Preparation

Step 1

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter two 9” diameter cake pans with 2” high sides. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper, butter paper. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with milk in two additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in chopped pecans. Divide batter between pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks, peel off waxed paper. Cool cakes completely.

SYRUP: .

Stir 3 tablespoons water and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer. Remove from heat, stir in bourbon. Cool. Using 9” diameter tart pan bottom as aid, transfer 1 cake layer, flat side up to platter. Brush some of syrup over top of cake. Spread 1 cup cream cheese frosting over top. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Brush top and sides of cake with remaining syrup. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange pecan praline topping all over top of cake, mounding slightly in center. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

Using electric mixer, beat 12 oz. cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter and vanilla extract in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.

PECAN PRALINE TOPPING:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter rimmed baking sheet. using fork, beat egg white and 1 tablespoon water in medium bowl until foamy. Add brown sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Add pecan halves and toss to coat. Spread pecan mixture on prepared baking sheet. Bake until nuts are deep brown and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, stir to loosen nuts from baking sheet. Cool nuts completely on sheet.