Butter Pecan Cake 

This rich and moist Butter Pecan Cake is perfect for any celebration or a cozy treat after a long day. Featuring browned butter and finely chopped pecans, it delivers a deeply nutty flavor and tender crumb. Topped with a creamy, lightly caramel flavored cream cheese icing and optional pecan garnish, it's both easy to make and irresistibly delicious. 

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter

• 3 cups (333 g) cake flour

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

• 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 ½ cups (354 ml) buttermilk, room temperature preferred

• 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred

• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups (160 g) pecan halves, very finely chopped 

For the Icing:

• 1 ½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened

• 6 oz cream cheese, softened

• ⅓ cup (66 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed

• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 4 ½ cups (562 g) powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

• Optional: ⅓ cup (35 g) pecan halves, very finely chopped (for decoration)

Directions

1. Brown the Butter
   Melt the butter over medium low heat; once melted, raise the heat slightly and stir until golden brown specks form. Remove from heat and let cool completely. 

2. Prepare the Cake Batter
   Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease and line three 8‑inch round pans with parchment.

3. Mix Dry Ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

4. Combine with Butter
   Stir the cooled browned butter into the dry mixture until fully incorporated. 

5. Add Wet Ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Gradually add to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined small lumps are okay. Gently fold in the finely chopped pecans. 

6. Bake the Cake
   Divide batter evenly among the pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely in pans before transferring to a rack. 

7. Make the Icing
   Beat softened butter, cream cheese, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then beat in heavy cream until fluffy. 

8. Assemble the Cake
   If needed, level the cake layers. Stack them with generous icing between each layer, then frost the sides and top. For a decorative touch, add piped swirls and sprinkle with finely chopped pecans, if desired. 

Nutrients (per serving, slice)

• Calories: 450 kcal

• Sugar: 35 g

• Sodium: 300 mg

• Fat: 25 g

  • Saturated Fat: 15 g

  • Unsaturated Fat: 5 g

  • Trans Fat: 0 g

• Carbohydrates: 50 g

• Fiber: 2 g

• Protein: 5 g

• Cholesterol: 80 mg