Frosting Recipes

Traditional southern pecan pralines get their toasty sweetness from chopped pecans and brown sugar.  This classic candy was originally made by hand in a copper kettle.  The best pralines balance the taste of brown sugar and milk fat, along with a chewy and sometimes tooth-pulling crunch. Its vanilla and caramel undertones make this a much-loved treat on chocolate devil’s food cake.  (If you like this nutty icing recipe, you may also enjoy our Hazelnut Praline Frosting Recipe.)

We went searching for a pecan praline frosting recipe, one that is like a traditional praline, just in frosting form for cakes or cupcakes.  This recipe from Recipezaar is the best example of how this a favorite southern confection becomes the perfect frosting for a chocolate fudge or moist buttermilk cake.  It would also taste wonderful on a coffee or espresso cake.  An apple walnut cake or banana cake is also the perfect thing for the praline icing.  A bourbon glaze or whipped cream would be a nice compliment, as would a garnish of a piece pecan brittle or some caramelized bananas.  For a bit more spice, prepare a batch of spiced pecans which add a sweet and salty component.

Pecan Praline Frosting Recipe

1/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

• Combine the butter, brown sugar and whipping cream in a 2 quart saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring often.
• Boil 1 min; remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Add the pecans and stir gently for 2-5 minutes, or until the frosting begins to cool and thicken slightly.
• Pour immediately over the cake.

(Do yourself a favor and don’t look at the nutrition facts for this recipe).

You’ll find the full cake recipe for the accompanying New Orleans Double Chocolate Fudge Cake found here.

A lot of hazelnut praline frosting recipes include nut liqueurs like Frangelico, which are tasty and sophisticated, but not always kid-friendly.  Another option when making a nut frosting is to use a premade spread from a jar.  You may already know of Nutella, a cocoa-hazelnut spread that originated in Italy.    It makes a fabulous frosting itself, but the flavor is intense, and the nuts are totally overwhelmed by the chocolate’s sweetness.   Another option, suggested by Iwaruna.com, is using a praline spread.  You’ll find it at specialty grocery stores near the peanut butter.  (If you like nutty frostings like this, check out our pecan frosting recipe).

This delicious and unique frosting makes a perfect complement to honey, chocolate, berries, apricots, even carrot cake!   It’s also a creamy compliment to a walnut or other nut-flavored cake, dulce de leche, as well as liqueur-infused cakes.   Garnish with fresh fruit or dark chocolate shavings.

Hazelnut Praline Frosting Recipe From Iwaruna.com

Ingredients

* 1 cup hazelnut praline spread; this was the approximate amount from 1 jar of the Matíz brand, which weighed 9.8 ounces (280 grams).
* 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
* 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
* a pinch of salt
* 6 ounces confectioner’s sugar, sifted

Method

1. Over low heat in a sauce pan, stir the spread, butter, 1/2 cup of cream and salt until melted and free of lumps. Pour into a food processor.
2. Add the confectioner’s sugar to the food processor, then whirl until smooth. If you notice oil still separating out from the mixture, add more confectioner’s sugar. I also added another 1/4 cup of cream so that it wouldn’t be too stiff to spread, but add more if you want a softer frosting. It does firm up more as it cools.
3. Spread over layers of cake, or cupcakes.

Iwaruna.com » Hazelnut frosting made from praline spread.