Toffee Hazelnut Praline Cake

This week, we’re excited to have Melina of Sugary and Buttery sharing this indulgent recipe for Toffee Dream Cake with Hazelnut Praline. With three rich, golden layers covered in a creamy white frosting, the finished product is almost too pretty to eat… almost! Here’s what Melina has to say:

This cake is a perfect dessert for a small dinner party. I used a 5-inch pan to make the cake as high as possible–it just looks so much prettier that way! The cake itself has a caramel flavor, the buttercream is loaded with real toffee, and there are layers of crunchy hazelnut praline in between–need I say more?

FOR THE CAKE:

–2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
–2 cups flour
–1 teaspoon baking powder
–5 eggs, room temperature
–1 cup light brown sugar
–1 tablespoon vanilla extract

FOR THE TOFFEE BUTTERCREAM:

–3 sticks butter, room temperature
–1/2 cup light and dark brown sugar (50:50)
–1 tablespoon double cream
–1 tablespoon vanilla extract
–2 tablespoons golden syrup (or agave syrup)
–1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

FOR THE HAZELNUT PRALINE:

–1/2 cups chopped hazelnuts
–1/3 cup cane sugar
–2 tablespoons water

1. Grease your baking pans, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the flour and baking powder, and set aside. Then cream the butter and the sugar on medium high heat until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one by one, and continue beating for about 2 minutes. Decrease the speed of your mixer to low, and pour in the flour mixture. Mix it in until it’s combined (no longer than 30 seconds). Make sure not to overbeat your batter.
4. Split the batter among the 3 cake pans, and bake until golden and a toothpick placed in the middle comes out clean (about 35 to 40 minutes).
5. To make the hazelnut praline, put the sugar and water into a heavy saucepan, and let it dissolve on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Once the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium-high, and let it boil until it caramelizes and turns lightly golden.
6. Once the sugar syrup reaches 370 degrees F on your candy thermometer, pour in the chopped hazelnuts. Stir to combine, and immediately transform the mixture onto the baking sheet.
7. Let the praline cool for at least 20 minutes. Once hardened, break it up a little bit, and put the praline pieces into your food processor. Grind until it turns into a course powder.
8. To make the buttercream, place 1 stick of butter into a saucepan along with the light and dark brown sugar and the golden (or agave) syrup. Bring to a boil, and cook it on medium heat for about 2 minutes.
9. Set aside, and stir in the cream. Then let it cool down in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
10. In your stand mixer, whip the remaining butter with the whisk attachment until it is light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, and keep whisking for about 5 minutes. Add the cooled toffee (make sure it is cooled down enough and slightly stiff), and whisk until combined and fluffy.
11. Cut the tops off your cakes to make the layers even. Place your first layer onto a cake stand, cover it with buttercream, then sprinkle some praline over it. Place the second cake layer on top, and continue layering your cake with buttercream and praline.
12. Use the buttercream to crumb coat your cake and then place it in the refrigerator for about an hour. Ice the cake with the remaining buttercream, and put it back into the refrigerator. Sprinkle hazelnut praline on top.

What’s your personal “dream” cake?

Photos and Recipe by Melina of Sugary and Buttery.