Almond praline cake with chocolate ganache filling, mascarpone frosting, and chocolate bark – aka my favorite cake. Ever.

Looking for new recipes and especially celebration cakes is my favorite past time. In fact, I’m slightly obsessed. I’ve made this cake three times now and every time it is phenominal. I can’t stress the importance enough that you eat, make or have someone else make this cake for you.  Whenever I have an opportunity to make a layer cake, I troll the internet, my back log of books, saved recipes and magazines to find the perfect cake (fellow food bloggers can attest to this disorder).  It’s always an internal battle as to what cake I’m going to make next and I change my mind numerous times. Like I said, I’m obsessed.

 
This time around, my dad (and mom) came to visit me from across the country and he, like me, loves to make cakes. We decided ahead of time we would embark on a cake-making adventure and he wanted to make my favorite cake. Although I usually frown upon making cakes I have already made in the past, I couldn’t resist making my favorite cake. Let me warn you: it’s a process.  It’s also heavy on the almond flavor. But how can you deny almond, praline, ganache and mascarpone? You can’t. Whatever you do, do not skip out on making the praline, it really makes the cake.
I followed the recipe exactly according to Bon Appetite, so go here for the recipe.