Ingredients
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1 cup unsalted butter
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1/2 cup dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
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3/4 cup water
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2 cups granulated sugar
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2 large eggs
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1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
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2 tablespoons vanilla
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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2 cups chopped pecans (71/2 ounces)
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1/4 cup unsalted butter
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1/2 cup half-and-half
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1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Make cake:.
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F Butter cake pan well and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
- Melt butter (2 sticks) in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl, then sift again into cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (don't worry if there are lumps).
- Pour batter into cake pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 45 to 55 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
- Cool cake in pan on a rack 20 minutes, then loosen edges with a thin knife and invert onto a plate.
- Make glaze:.
- Spread pecans in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and bake until fragrant and a shade darker, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool pecans slightly in pan on a rack, about 5 minutes.
- Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, then stir in half-and-half and confectioners sugar. Add chocolate and cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and salt. Cool glaze until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Spoon glaze over top and sides of cake (cake will still be warm) and spread with a small offset spatula or knife to cover completely.