Butter Pecan Cake (Printable)
Rich, moist layer cake with buttery toasted pecans and creamy vanilla frosting.
# What You Need:
→ Toasted Pecans
01 - 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, chopped
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Cake
03 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
08 - 2 cups granulated sugar
09 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
→ Butter Pecan Frosting
12 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - 1/2 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add chopped pecans and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
04 - In a large bowl, beat 1 cup butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
06 - Fold in most of the toasted pecans, reserving 1/2 cup for the frosting.
07 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Smooth tops and bake for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat 1 cup butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add vanilla and heavy cream, beating until fluffy. Adjust consistency with more cream if needed. Fold in reserved chopped pecans.
09 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread frosting over top. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost sides and top. Garnish with extra pecan halves if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The toasted pecans create pockets of buttery crunch throughout each tender layer
- That frosting alone is worth the effort, rich enough to make you close your eyes
02 -
- Cold ingredients will curdle your butter mixture, so bring everything to room temperature first
- Overmixing the batter makes tough cake layers, so stop as soon as flour disappears
03 -
- Weigh your cake pans after filling to ensure perfectly even layers
- Chill the assembled cake for 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts