Eggnog Praline Cake with Brandied Sauce

What a treat this cake is, the name alone will sell it. The homemade frosting and brandied sauce really give this holiday dessert a flair.

Ingredients:

• Praline:
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Cake:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp brandy extract
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup eggnog
• Frosting:
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• Dash salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Brandied Sauce:
• 18 oz butterscotch chips
• 7 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 4 oz evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Dash salt
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 dark corn syrup
• 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9 inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Praline: In a saucepan, combine butter, whipping cream, and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture is blended. Pour evenly in cake pans, sprinkle evenly with pecans, and set aside. Cake: In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in extracts. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, then add to creamed mixture alternately with eggnog. Pour over praline in prepared pans and bake 30-35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and remove from pans onto racks to cool completely. Frosting: In a medium saucepan, cook milk, flour and salt over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and cool. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter and shortening. Beat well with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Add cooled flour mixture and vanilla then beat at high speed until mixture is light and fluffy resembling whipped cream. Assembly: With praline sides up, place frosting between 2 layers and on top of cake. Sauce: Place chips in top of a double boiler and melt completely. Add remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, over boiling water. Sauce can be served warm or cooled, and can be drizzled over top of cake or on slices, or drizzled decoratively using a plastic squeeze container onto dessert plates around each cake slice.

Number of Servings: 16