Chocolate Praline Cake
Ingredients
Sponge:
- 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk I used soy + 1 tsp vinegar
- 1/2 cup yogurt I used soy
- 1/2 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
Pralines:
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 cup roasted pecans and almonds
Glaze:
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
Make the Pralines:
- Heat the caster sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to melt and form a deep golden caramel. Don’t stir until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Pour the caramel over the roasted nuts in a non-stick pan. Allow to cool completely before breaking/chopping into chunks.
Make the Sponge:
- Preheat the oven to 340°F.
- Line and lightly grease a square baking dish.
- Mix the milk and vinegar, then set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Pour the thickened milk mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the remaining wet ingredients.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined.
- Spread half of the cake batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the pralines and some extra chocolate chunks.
- Cover with the remaining batter and sprinkle some brown sugar all over the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set.
Make the Glaze:
- When the cake has only a few minutes left in the oven, prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, milk, and maple syrup in a bowl until smooth.
Finish the Cake:
- When the cake is done, leave it to cool for 10 minutes, then poke holes in the cake.
- Pour the glaze over the top, spreading to cover it completely.
- Let the glaze set for about 20 minutes before serving.