Chocolate Toffee Brownie Cake

[Raquelita]

Chocolate Toffee Brownie Cake

For cake:
3 ½ TB unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup butter
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup hot water
1 ¾ cup pecans, coarsely ground
½ cup English toffee bits
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

For glaze:
4 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 TB butter
1 TB honey
¼ cup chopped pecans
½ cup English toffee bits

Make cake:
Position rack in centre of oven and preheat oven to 350F/180C. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2 inch high sides. Sprinkle pan with ½ TB cocoa powder; tilt pan to coat bottom and sides. Shake out excess.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Stir in butter and remaining 3 TB cocoa in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until thick and fluffy. Mix in hot water and cocoa mixture.. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in pecans, toffee bits and chocolate chips.

Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake cake until top is firm and tester inserted into centre comes out with most crumbs still attached, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto platter. Cool.

Make glaze:
Stir chocolate, butter and honey in small saucepan over medium-low heat until mixture is smooth. Cool until mixture thickens slightly but is still pourable, about 10 minutes.

Pour glaze over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Spread glaze over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top of cake with pecans and toffee bits. Chill until glaze is set, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.)

Serves 8