Butter Pecan Cake Recipe: Easy Homemade Fall Dessert
This easy homemade Butter Pecan Cake is the ultimate fall dessert, featuring a moist, tender cake studded with toasted pecans and topped with a rich, caramelized brown butter frosting. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any autumn gathering, it's simpler to make from scratch than you think and delivers incredible nutty flavor.
Equipment
- Two 9-inch round cake pans
- Electric mixer
- Saucepan (for brown butter)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, for frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Toast pecans on a baking sheet for 7-10 minutes until fragrant; let cool.
- In a large bowl, cream together the 1 cup of softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla extract.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped, toasted pecans.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, brown the 1/2 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium heat until fragrant and milk solids are golden brown. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl to cool slightly.
- Beat the brown butter with powdered sugar, heavy cream, and a splash of vanilla extract (if desired) until smooth and spreadable. Add more cream or sugar for desired consistency.
- Once cakes are completely cool, frost the layers and the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with additional pecans if desired.
Notes
Ensure all cold ingredients, especially butter and eggs, are at room temperature for the best texture. Toasting the pecans is a critical step to intensify their flavor. Don't overmix the batter once the flour is added.