Chocolate Nut Lovers Cake

Chocolate Nut Lovers Cake

Ingredients

CAKE

2 c     granulated sugar
1 1/4 c     milk
2     eggs
3/4 c     canola oil
2 tsp     vanilla extract
2 Tbsp     vinegar (white)
3 c     flour
1/4 c     + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp     baking soda
1/2 tsp     salt

GANACHE FILLING/FROSTING

1 c     heavy cream
1 c     semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c     milk chocolate chips
1 Tbsp     kahula liquor or any other coffee liquor (can use vanilla extract if you like)
1 pkg     turtle chocolates (or any other chocolate caramel nut candy like snickers)
1/4 c     honey roasted peanuts

TOPPING

1/2 c     honey roasted peanuts

Directions

1 -Dice your turtle candies in half and place them in your food processor along with your honey roasted peanuts and roughly chop them, set aside.

-Place your topping peanuts in food processor, roughly chop again and set aside.

-Preheat oven to 350F.

2 -In mixer bowl (or with a mixer and a large bowl), add your dry ingredients whisk a few times to make sure cocoa powder is nicely distributed, and then add your wet ingredients. Mix well until well blended.

-Pour into 2 greased 9" round cake pans, dividing evenly. Bake 26-28 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans 15-20 minutes, then unmold onto racks to cool completely.

3 -Meanwhile, in a 2 quart bowl, combine the heavy cream, semisweet chocolate chips and the milk chocolate chips. Heat in a microwave oven on high for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until melted and smooth when stirred. Remove, and stir in the 1 tbsp of Kahlua.

-Reserve 3/4 cup of the ganache for frosting on the sides of the cake. To the rest of the still warm ganache, add the turtle (or chocolate bar pieces), stir well. Some of the pieces will remain chunky while others pieces will melt right in, yum!! Set aside to cool.

-When the ganache is firm enough to spread, fill stacked cake layers with half of the ganache mixture. Spread remaining mixture evenly over top of cake. Frost sides of cake with the reserved 3/4 cup chocolate mixture. Sprinkle the chopped 1/4 cup peanuts around the edge of the cake to make a border and around the sides.

-Refrigerate cake for at least 1-1/2 to 2 hours prior to serving.

Grab yourself a milk and enjoy