Best 20 Chocolate Pecan Cake Recipes

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COCONUT-PECAN CAJETA FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Melt the 12 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the muscovado and granulated sugars and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add the coffee, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract and continue whisking until smooth and just combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the wire rack and let cool at least 1 hour before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Combine the whole milk, coconut milk and goat's milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Keep warm while you prepare the caramel.
• Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat and cook without stirring until a deep amber color, 8 to 10 minutes. Slowly and carefully whisk in the warm milk mixture and continue whisking until smooth. Add the vanilla seeds and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is reduced by half and the consistency of a caramel sauce, about 55 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla extract, salt and rum (if using). Transfer the sauce to a medium bowl and stir in the pecans and shredded coconut. Let the frosting cool to room temperature, stirring it occasionally, before frosting the cake.
• To assemble the cake, slice each cake in half horizontally. Place 1 cake layer on a cake round and spread one-third of the frosting evenly over the top. Repeat to make 3 layers, then top with the remaining cake layer, top-side up.
• Make the ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl, add the hot cream and the corn syrup and let sit for 30 seconds. Gently whisk until smooth. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Set the cake on a wire rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake, letting the excess drip down the sides. Sprinkle the top with toasted coconut and pecans. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before slicing.
• Slice the cake and top with a dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE TEXAS SHEET CAKE WITH COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray an 11x17-inch sheet pan with cooking spray.
• Place chocolate and water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking until chocolate is almost melted, about 30 seconds longer. Remove from microwave and stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add egg yolks to the sugar mixture, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla extract.
• Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture to sugar-butter mixture alternating with buttermilk, beating batter until well blended after each addition. Add egg whites and stir gently until incorporated. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• While cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. Combine evaporated milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla extract in a large saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in coconut and pecans. Mix the frosting until cooled but still spreadable. Spread on top of cooled cake.

CHOCOLATE-PECAN COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Combine the flour, pecans, brown sugar, chocolate and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix thoroughly with your fingers or a fork until all of the butter has been evenly distributed and incorporated into the flour. Form into small to medium clumps with your fingers.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat together the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour, beating until just incorporated.
• Spoon half of the cake batter (it will be very thick) into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the chocolate and pecans on top. Spoon the remaining cake batter on top and smooth the top. Sprinkle on the crumb topping.
• Bake until the cake and topping are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan 20 minutes, then invert onto a plate; invert back onto a rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk. Beat in chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan, peel off parchment, and let cool completely on rack. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour (or overnight) to make it easier to slice.
• Using a serrated knife, slice cake horizontally into 3 layers. Spread 1/3 of the frosting over bottom layer. Repeat, layering cake and frosting, finishing with frosting. Mound coconut in center, and arrange pecan halves around edge.

CARAMEL-PECAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan, heat the caramels, milk and butter over low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring frequently; set aside., In a large bowl, combine chocolate and oil. Beat in the water, applesauce, egg whites, egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar, sugar blend, baking soda and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture until blended. , Pour half of the batter into a 13x9-in. baking pan well coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 14-18 minutes or until center is set. Spread caramel mixture evenly over cake; top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with pecans. , Bake 18-23 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the top layer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

SOUR CREAM-ORANGE COFFEE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-PECAN STREUSEL

Steps:

• For streusel:
• Whisk brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture holds together in small, moist clumps. Mix in pecans and chocolate chips. (Can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until blended and smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then orange peel and vanilla extract. Mix in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with sour cream in 3 additions. Mix in orange juice. Spread half of batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Drop remaining batter over by heaping tablespoonfuls; carefully spread batter to make even layer. Sprinkle with remaining streusel.
• Bake cake 30 minutes. Lay sheet of foil loosely over pan to keep topping from browning too quickly. Continue baking until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes longer. Remove foil. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar; serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature.)

DARK CHOCOLATE PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 5-3/4x3x2-in. loaf pan with parchment; coat with cooking spray. In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in brown sugar and cream. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Pour into prepared pan. Top with pecans. Cover and refrigerate., In a small bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with water. Beat just until combined. , Pour over pecans. Bake at 325° until a toothpick comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool completely in pan., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form. Remove cake from pan; split into two horizontal layers. Place bottom cake layer, nut side up, on a serving plate. Spread with half of the topping. Top with remaining layer and topping. If desired, garnish with chocolate curls and chopped pecans.

WHITE CAKE WITH COCONUT, PECAN AND CHOCOLATE CHIP FROSTING

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable shortening in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs and egg whites, then milk and vanilla extract. Add flour and beat just until blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan.
• Make frosting:
• Combine first 6 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until butter melts and mixture thickens (do not boil), about 10 minutes. Stir in pecans and coconut. Cool until frosting is thick enough to spread but is still warm, about 40 minutes.
• Spread warm frosting over cake in pan. Let cool completely. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cake, pressing gently to adhere. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

PECAN-CHOCOLATE CHIP POUND CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter (must be very soft but not melted), eggs and almond extract on low just until mixed. Beat on high for 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. , In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. On low speed, add flour mixture alternately with milk, mixing just until blended. Fold in chocolate chips. , Sprinkle pecans in the bottom of a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Carefully pour batter over pecans. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool 20 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-PECAN FILLING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch-round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Combine the pumpkin, sugar, orange zest and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each one is incorporated. With the mixer running, add the vegetable oil in a steady stream. Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans; lightly tap the pans on the counter to distribute the batter.
• Transfer the pans to the oven and bake until the cakes begin pulling away from the pans and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then unmold onto the rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a large deep saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer and cook, without stirring, until deep amber, about 8 minutes. Carefully whisk in the cream and cook, whisking, until smooth. Add the corn syrup and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in the butter, chocolate, vanilla and salt until smooth. Let cool completely, then fold in the pecans. Cover and refrigerate until firm but spreadable, about 1 hour.
• Assemble the cake: Cut each cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife to make 4 layers. Put 1 layer on a platter; spread one-third of the pecan filling on top. Layer the remaining cakes and filling on top, ending with cake. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
• Make the glaze: Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder, butter and honey in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 1 minute; uncover and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then spread on the cake, letting the excess drip down the sides. Refrigerate until the glaze sets, about 10 minutes.

PECAN WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in white chocolate and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in coconut and pecans. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack., For frosting, in a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, white chocolate and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fold in pecans. Frost cake. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.
• 2. For the cake: Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• 3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 4. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl.
• 5. Add to creamed mixture, continuing to beat.
• 6. Add vanilla and chocolate syrup to batter and mix well.
• 7. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Just before cake is done, prepare frosting.
• 8. For the frosting: Put butter, chocolate chips, sugar and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stirring ingredients together, boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
• 9. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and nuts.
• 10. Pour over warm cake.

CHOCOLATE PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil or butter a 9- by 2-inch round springform pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper or foil.
• In a double boiler or a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolates and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and stir in bourbon or rum.
• In a food processor pulse pecans with 3/4 cup sugar until finely ground. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in flour.
• In another bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with salt at medium speed until white, opaque, and beginning to hold their shape. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating at high speed until whites hold soft (not stiff), slightly glossy peaks. Stir in pecan mixture with a spatula until well blended and fold in chocolate mixture until no streaks remain (batter will deflate).
• Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Bake cake in middle of oven 50 minutes, or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen and invert cake onto a rack to cool completely.
• Remove parchment or foil and transfer cake to a platter. Cake may be wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled 1 week or frozen 1 month. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
• Just before serving, dust cake with confectioners' sugar.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH COCONUT PECAN FROSTING

Steps:

• Grease two 9-inch layer cake pans and line bottoms with waxed paper.
• Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Cream butter; add flour mixture, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened; beat at medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping bowl from time to time.
• Add melted chocolate, eggs, and remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk. Beat 1 minute longer.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely on racks.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, sugars, butter, and vanilla. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat (mixture might appear a bit curdled).
• Quickly stir a small amount of the hot liquid into the beaten egg yolks; return egg yolk mixture to the hot mixture in saucepan and blend well. Return to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to spreading consistency, beating occasionally.
• Here then i added me own little flair, it's perfect just the way it is, but this adds a little something extra. I chopped up some more pecans somewhat small and pressed them into the sides all the way around. Then i just topped it with some chocolate shavings. Enjoy.

CHOCOLATE PECAN PRALINE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• In a small heavy saucepan, cook the butter, whipping cream and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Divide evenly into two 9" cake pans. Spread this mixture over the bottom of pans and sprinkle liberally with ½ cup pecans in each.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, water & eggs at low speed until moistened; then beat 2 minutes at high speed. Divide evenly into the two cake pans by carefully spooning batter over pecans around edges of pan and then over the center area.
• Bake 50-60 minutes or until ice pick inserted in the center tests clean.
• Cool 5 minutes only. Then cover each pan with wax paper and invert onto wire racks to finish cooling. Determine which cake layer will be the top layer and add as many additional chopped pecans as desired to make topping lush and attractive looking.
• When completely cooled, with both hands, carefully lift up the layer of cake to be the bottom layer and remove the waxed paper. Place on a serving/cake platter.
• Spread frosting over the top of the pecans, filling in all the spaces around the bottom layer. Repeat procedure to place top layer of cake on the bottom layer, except DO NOT frost the top. Frost the sides only.
• Then melt chocolate morsels with about a teaspoon of vegetable oil to a consistency that you can drizzle back and forth across the top of the cake to give it a finished look. You can do this by putting the chocolate chips and oil in a small Ziploc bag and placing the sealed bag in a pan or dish of hot water for a few minutes until chips are melted. Lift bag from water and dry off. Then compress the contents together with your fingers until well blended. Snip off a very small corner and the bottom of the bag and allow glaze to drizzle out while moving bag across top of the cake.

HERSHEY'S MILK CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 12 cup Bundt pan.
• Place 1 cup of chocolate chip in bowl and microwave on medium power for 1 minute. Stir and microwave in 15 second intervals until chips are melted and smooth.
• Beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium until well blended (I cream these together for 10 minutes total). Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each one. Add melted chocolate and beat until well blended, 1-2 minutes.
• Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating just until blended (don't over-beat or your texture will not be as good).
• Add syrup and vanilla, blend. Stir in remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
• Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle cooled cake with powdered sugar before serving.

RICH CHOCOLATE-BOURBON PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. NOTE: My pans were 2-inches deep. The cake rose very slightly over this level. No batter spilled over in the oven but I did cut a few little crusty pieces from the rim of the cake pans. And I enjoyed the little treat as well.
• 2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• 3. Pour boiling water over cocoa; whisk until smooth. Add milk and vanilla; whisk to combine.
• 4. At a medium speed on electic mixer in a large bowl; beat butter until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar beat about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 5. Reduce speed on mixer to low. Add dry ingredients alternately with cocoa mixture beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• 6. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans; bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pans and cool completely on wire racks for about 1 hour. NOTE: When cooling this cake I made the mistake of flipping one layer top side down on the rack. This layer wanted to crumble a little because it stuck to the wire rack while the other layer I flipped bottom side down did perfect. Take a few seconds to flip the layers so that they are bottom side down on the wire racks.
• 7. Next you will split the layers so that you will have 4 layers. I know of 2 ways of accomplishing this: 1. Use a Cake Slicer/Leveler to slice each layer in half horizontally. This is the method I used. OR 2. Once layers have cooled completely; wrap and freeze each layer for about 1 hour. Using a serrated knife, slice cake layers in half horizontally.
• 8. Brush both sides of each of the 4 layers with bourbon. Place 1st layer on plate; spread pecan frosting between each of 3 layers. Do not spread on top of the 4th layer. Spread top and sides with chocolate frosting. Garnish if desired with more chopped pecans. For best flavor, allow cake to set for 24 hours at room temperature.
• 9. FROSTING AND FILLING: You will be splitting this frosting in half. You will add pecans to one half for the filling and cocoa to the other half for the outer frosting.
• 10. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, reduce speed to low and add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating until well blended. Add 1/2 cup cream and the vanilla; beat until blended.
• 11. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until smooth. Remove 1/2 of this mixture to another bowl. To one bowl stir in the nuts and 1 Tbsp of cream. This bowl is your filling. To the other bowl add the cocoa, the remaining 1 Tbsp cream and the melted chocolate chips; beat until well blended. This bowl is your frosting.
• 12. NOTES: If frosting mixture seems too dry add a little more cream, if too wet; add a little more powdered sugar. I find when spreading frosting or filling that if you dip the spatula in water before spreading either the frosting or filling it will spread easier without lifting the cake crumbs.

CHOCOLATE PECAN ZUCCHINI BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Mix first 4 ingredients and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Add chocolate, then add oil. Add flour mixture and blend well. Fold in zucchini and pecans. Mix well and pour into bundt pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before removing cake from pan. Sprinkle powdered sugar on cake and serve.

CHOCOLATE PECAN UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan. To prevent leaking use a tight fitting base or set the pan on a sheet of tin foil and firmly press foil up around the sides of the pan.
• Insert and empty 14 oz can filled 3/4 full with dried beans into the center of the springform pan.
• Melt the butter and margaring for the sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the brown sugar and water, stir and bring to a boil.
• Boil for about 3 min, stirring occasionally, until mixture is smooth and sauce like.
• Coarsely chop 1/2 cup of the pecans and add to the brown sugar sauce.
• Add the remaining pecans and mix well.
• Turn into the prepared pan and press the pecans flat in a singly layer, and cool.
• Beat the cup of butter for the cake with the sugar and vanilla in a large bowl, scraping down the sides occasionally, until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Combine the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Add the flour mixture and the sour cream to the butter mixer, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating on low speed until well combined.
• Carefully spoon the batter into the pan, spreading gently over pecan mixture in an even layer.
• Bake for 45-50 min or until tested clean.
• Let stand in pan on a wire rack for 30 minute.
• Run a knife around the inside and outside edges of the cake.
• Remove the can of beans and invert the cake onto a serving platter/plate. Do not remove the pan, let stand inverted for 2 minute.
• Remove pan and replace any pecans that have come off the cake.
• Cool completely, and serve.

CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED.
• 2. Fully bake a pecan pie (or buy one already bake) preferably in a disposable pie tin (so you can take it out easily later). Let it cool to room temperature. NOTE: if you bake your own pecan pie, I would recommend that you put parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. The first time I made this cake, my pie stuck and I had to cut in to 4 pieces. That did not change the taste of the cake, it was still delish!!
• 3. Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Grease your cake pan and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper. NOTE: The first time I baked this cake, I used an aluminum mold and it worked fine. I have since purchased a 10 X 3-inch springform pan and I must say I prefer it over the aluminum mold.
• 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa, coffee and water. Add in the vanilla. Set aside.
• 5. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• 6. In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the melted chocolate and mix until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the wet ingredients, beating well after each addition.
• 7. Spoon 1/3 of the batter evenly into the bottom of the cake pan. Take the pecan pie out of the tin (you may need to cut it out, so it might make sense to bake your pie in a disposable pie tin) and place it right side up on top of the batter. I thought that the pie might sink to the bottom either now or during baking, but like a ship, it sailed on top.
• 8. Cover the top and sides of the pie with the remaining batter. You may want to thwack the cake on the counter a couple of times to make sure there are no air pockets hiding between the pie and the side of the cake pan. Don't skip doing this to get the air bubbles out! Smooth the top.
• 9. Bake in a 350 F degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at THE EDGE of the pan comes out with just a few crumbs. NOTE: You are testing the sides because the pie is in the center and that will alter your results. NOTE 2: Ovens vary and I baked my 1st cake an addtional 10 minutes. I've since made my 2nd cake and found additional minutes were required. Don't start testing until you've baked at least 30 minutes. NOTE 3: Don't let the photo turn you away, this will be the bottom of the cake.
• 10. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes the turn it out upside down onto a cooling rack to cool completely. When the cake is cool, it's time to make the ganache frosting.
• 11. MAKING THE GANACHE FROSTING: Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl.
• 12. Heat the cream to a simmer then pour over the chocolate.
• 13. Let it sit for 1 minute then gently stir until the all the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Let it sit at room temperature for 25-35 minutes stirring occasionally until it is frosting consistency. NOTE: It took about 45 to 55 minutes for this to come to a good frosting consistency.
• 14. Frost the top and sides of the upside-down cake and sprinkle with the chopped toasted pecans. NOTE: I placed waxed paper strips around cake before frosting for easy clean up.
• 15. NOTE: Make sure the cake and pie in center is completely cooled before frosting and cutting.