Butter Pecan Cake

4.59 from 46 votes

Butter pecan cake with toasted pecans folded into the batter and a tangy cream cheese frosting. Two tender layers with chopped pecans on top.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butter pecan cake, butter pecan cake recipe, old fashioned butter pecan cake, pecan cake with cream cheese frosting, southern butter pecan cake, toasted pecan cake

Servings: slices

Calories: 726kcal

Author: Dana

Equipment

8" Cake Rounds

Ingredients

1 cup butter unsalted, softened
1 cup brown sugar packed
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 cups pecans chopped
2 tablespoon butter unsalted

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8 oz cream cheese softened
¼ cup butter unsalted, softened
6 cups confectioner's sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour (2) 8" inch round pans. I use baking spray.
Heat 2 tablespoon of butter over low heat in a skillet until melted.
Add the chopped pecans to the skillet and lightly toast. Stir occasionally, about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and the sugars together.
Add the eggs, one at a time.
Stir in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Mix in half of the flour, then half of the milk.
Repeat with the rest of the flour and milk.
Stir in 2 cups of the toasted pecans.
Pour half of the batter into one of the 8-inch rounds and repeat with the other 8-inch round pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Check the center of the cakes with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the icing from sliding and melting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter.
Add in the vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
Slowly beat in the confectioner's sugar.
Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and the right consistency to frost the cake.

Notes

Toast the pecans in butter for three minutes. Pull them the second they smell nutty.
Room temperature butter, eggs, and cream cheese. Pull everything out thirty minutes early.
Do not overbeat the batter. Mix until just combined once the flour goes in.
Cool the cakes completely before frosting. Warm cake melts cream cheese frosting.
Store at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerate for up to a week. Unfrosted layers freeze for three months.

Nutrition