Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with non-stick paper.
Sift flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together, then stir in chopped pecans.
Melt butter with sugar in a pan, transfer to a bowl, and stir in buttermilk and eggs.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and shape the dough into a loaf on a floured surface.
Score the loaf, place it on the tray, and bake for 30-40 minutes at 200°C.
Heat sugar in a saucepan without stirring until it caramelises into a golden-brown colour.
Warm butter and cream in another pan while the sugar caramelises.
Gradually whisk the warm cream and butter into the caramelised sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir salt into the sauce and pour it into a serving jug.
Dissolve caster sugar in a pan to create a dark caramel for the pecan topping.
Arrange pecans on a tray, pour the dark caramel over them, and allow to set.
Garnish the cooled loaf with caramelised pecans and serve alongside the salted caramel sauce.