Butter Pecan Cake

Loaded with buttery pecans, this delicious and moist butter pecan cake is layered with a rich cream cheese frosting. This cake is the best!

My Butter Pecan Cake recipe is a real show-stopper. It’s perfect for any special occasion, because it’s both elegant and delicious.

This delicious cake is the perfect sweet treat for chilly autumn days. Filled with rich, buttery flavours and topped with a delicious pecan frosting, this cake is sure to become a favourite.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning your menu! This butter pecan cake would be a perfect addition. It’s incredibly moist and flavourful, and best of all, it’s super easy to make.

If you’re looking for an impressive dessert to serve at your next party, look no further – this Butter Pecan Cake won’t disappoint. Enjoy!

Why You Will Love this Butter Pecan Cake Recipe

• Made from scratch!
• Rich buttery flavour.
• Moist and tender cake.
• Light and fluffy buttercream frosting
• Easy to follow recipe
• Looks incredible but so easy to make!
• Loaded with pecans
• Freezes well.
• Better than boxed mix!

How to Toast Pecans

Pecans are a type of nut that is native to North America. They are often used in baking and cooking, and they make a great addition to many dishes. Pecans can be eaten raw, or they can be toasted to bring out their flavor.

To toast pecans, you will need:

• Pecans
• Baking sheet

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and aromatic. Remove from the oven and let cool before using.

How to Decorate a Layer Cake

There are a few things to keep in mind when decorating a layer cake. You want to make sure that the cake is level, so that it will stack evenly. You also want to make sure that the filling is not too thick, so that it does not ooze out when you cut into the cake.

Here are a few tips on how to decorate a layer cake:

• Start with a clean, level cake. If the cake is not level, it will be difficult to stack the layers evenly.
• Make sure to spread your frosting evenly over the cake layer. You don’t want it to ooze out when you cut into the cake.
• When stacking the cake layers, be sure to press them gently together so that they adhere.
• Once the cake is stacked, frost the sides and top of the cake. Be sure to smooth out the frosting so that it is evenly distributed.
• Decorate the cake as desired. You can use piping bags and tips to create different designs.

With these tips, you should be able to decorate a beautiful layer cake that will impress your guests!

Variations on Butter Pecan Cake

Ice cream cake – Replace the middle layer of the cake with butter pecan ice cream for a luxurious and tasty cold treat.

Buttercream frosting – Add 3/4 cup pecans to buttercream frosting. If frosted with buttercream instead of the cream cheese frosting, you may store the cake on the counter for 3-4 days and avoid refrigeration.

Tips for Making the BEST Butter Pecan Cake

This butter pecan cake recipe results in moist, soft, bouncy layers of beautifully sweet cake, but you should be aware of some cake baking basics.

Making the Batter:

• Once the flour mixture has been added to the recipe, be sure not to over-mix.
  Over mixing can cause the gluten to overdevelop, resulting in a crumbly cake.
• Spoon and carefully level your flour, do not pack the flour or eyeball it.
• Use ingredients that are at room temperature for a batter that comes together perfectly.
• Make sure your pecans are fresh, they have a high fat content and can go rancid quickly, which will affect the flavour of the cake.
• Toast whole pecans before chopping for the best flavour. Let them cool before making the cake.
• Do not swap the oil for more butter, butter tends to result in a dry cake. Using a combination gives the flavour of butter, and the moisture of oil.

Baking the Cake:

• Don’t overfill your pans.
• Cake strips are a great tool to help your cakes rise evenly while baking.
• Do NOT open the oven door while baking.
• Insert a cake tester into the centre of one of the cakes, if it comes out clean the cake is done.

Frosting the Cake:

• Allow your cakes to completely cool before frosting.
• It is very important to use room temperature butter for the frosting. It needs to be soft enough to move when you press on it, but still firm enough to hold its shape. A good rule of thumb is to pull it out of the fridge an hour before using.
• When making the frosting, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. This will ensure a smooth, lump free frosting.

How to Store Butter Pecan Cake

To prevent this fluffy cake with its buttercream frosting from drying out, store it covered in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container for about a week, refrigerated.

Keep in mind that refrigerating the cake can result in the cake drying out if it is not stored in an airtight container.

Do not store this cake at room temperature as the frosting does contain cream cheese.

If you don’t plan on eating the butter pecan cake within three days of baking it, you can tightly wrap the cake and place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to two months.

Thaw at room temperature for about 4-6 hours when you are ready to serve.

About the Equipment Needed to Make Butter Pecan Cake

9 inch round cake pans – You will need three of these.

10 inch round cake board – You will want one 10 inch road cake board. A second one is useful for levelling the cakes.

1 large piping bag with a star tip – If you don’t already have this piping on hand, I would recommend this Wilton Decorating Tip Set.

Plus you will want a wire rack, an offset spatula, mixing bowls, and an electric mixer.

About the Ingredients for Butter Pecan Cake

Pecans – If you buy chopped pecans, you may want to chop them a little finer yourself, but don’t go crazy. We still want some nice bits throughout the cake! Toast the pecans whole and cool off before chopping for the best flavour.

Sugar – We are using a combination of brown sugar and white sugar to get just the perfect amount of sweetness. Pack the brown sugar when you measure it out.

Butter – Room temperature butter, if you use salted, reduce the additional salt. Don’t substitute with oil or margarine, the butter brings a lot of flavour.

Flour – If you don’t have any cake flour on hand you can use all-purpose flour with cornstarch to achieve the fluffiness that cake flour gives this cake. To make your own cake flour substitute, measure out your flour, then remove 3 Tablespoons. Add back in 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Then sift your flour twice over so it is nice and fluffy like cake flour. Ready to use! Spoon and level both of the flours when measuring it, otherwise you’ll wind up with a dense cake.

Baking powder & soda – Make sure they are active and fresh so they leaven the donuts properly.

Salt – Balances out all the flavours.

Oil – In addition to the butter, we are using a little oil which helps keep the cake moist. Using a mixture of the two fats gives you the best of both.

Eggs – Must be at room temperature for best results!

Sour cream – Helps create a really tender and moist crumb, the donuts do not end up tasting like sour cream. Plain or greek yogurt may be used instead.

Buttermilk – Make sure your buttermilk is room temperature before starting. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand make a substitute by adding half a tbsp of lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk. You will get superior results using real buttermilk though.

Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavour, but artificial is just fine too.

About the Ingredients for Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

Butter – It is very important to use room temperature butter for the frosting.

Cream cheese – It is very important to use room temperature cream cheese for the frosting. Use full fat cream cheese for the best flavour, you may use light cream cheese but it won’t be as tasty.

Icing sugar – To create a smooth and sweet frosting.

Brown sugar – Adds a rich sweetness to the frosting.

Salt – Balances out all the flavours.

Pecans – Chop them a little bit smaller for the frosting than for the cake itself so it is easier to spread.

Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavour, but artificial is just fine too.

Looking for More Pecan Dessert Recipes

Check out more of my favourite pecan desserts!

This recipe for pecan pie bars is a huge crowd pleaser. They’re deliciously sweet & salty with an easy shortbread crust. Plus NO Corn Syrup!

This Maple Pecan Bread Wreath is made up of soft and fluffy yeast dough with a cinnamon pecan filling, all topped with a sweet maple glaze.

Instant Pot Butter Pecan Fudge is made with just 6 ingredients for an easy condensed milk fudge that is sweet, creamy & melts in your mouth.

How to Make Butter Pecan Cake

Yields: 12 Servings | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups pecans, chopped
1 cup brown sugar, divided
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
3 cups cake flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
⅔ cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs + 2 yolks, room temperature
⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature
1 ⅔ cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting:

5 cups powdered sugar
2 cups salted butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

Line the bottoms of three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly spray with baking spray or grease with a little butter. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine chopped pecans, ½ cup brown sugar and the melted butter.

Mix until very well coated. Set aside.

In a separate medium sized mixing bowl combine cake flour, flour, baking powder, baking
soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, vegetable oil, the remaining ½ cup of brown sugar and eggs.

Mix in the sour cream, and stir to combine.

Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.

Mix until just combined.

Add pecan mixture and fold in using a spatula.

Evenly divide the batter between the 3 prepared cake pans.

Place the filled pans into the preheated oven on the centre rack. Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to cool.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and salt.

Beat on a medium-high speed for 8 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the pecans. Fold in using a rubber spatula.

Once the cakes have cooled, remove them from the cake pans.

Place the 1st cake onto a plate or cake stand.

Add about ⅔ cup of frosting onto the centre and evenly spread out using an icing spatula.

Place the 2nd cake on top and repeat the frosting process, ending with the 3rd cake on top.

Once all the cakes have been layered, frost the top and sides of the cake, using an offset spatula to smooth it out.

Spoon the remaining frosting into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip and pipe swirls on top of the frosted cake.

Cut into 10-12 slices and serve.