If you love pecans, you NEED to try this butter pecan cake! It’s SO soft and moist, packed with buttery toasted pecans in every bite, and topped with my favorite cinnamon cream cheese frosting. The brown sugar cake layers, crunchy pecans, and smooth, tangy frosting go together SO well. It’s the perfect cake for fall, special occasions, or whenever you’re craving something extra delicious!
Developing This Recipe
When developing this butter pecan cake, I wanted to create a cake that really brought out the delicious, buttery flavor of the pecans while keeping the cake layers SO soft and moist.
Toasting the pecans
First, I decided to toast the pecans in butter, brown sugar, and a little cinnamon before adding them to the cake batter. Toasting nuts brings out their natural nutty flavor, and coating them in that buttery mixture adds even more deliciousness! I also make sure to mix any leftover buttery sugar mixture into the batter so none of that flavor goes to waste.
The cake layers
For the cake layers, I used my caramel cake recipe as the base. I love how soft and moist those cake layers turn out, and I felt the brown sugar would complement the toasted pecans SO well. It also adds a little extra depth of flavor compared to using just white sugar.
The cinnamon cream cheese frosting
Finally, I wanted a frosting that would complement all those delicious flavors without overpowering them. I used my blog-favorite cream cheese frosting recipe and added a little cinnamon. The subtle warmth of the cinnamon pairs beautifully with the brown sugar and buttery pecans, while the tangy cream cheese frosting balances out the sweetness of the cake. It’s the perfect finishing touch!
Why You’ll Love This Butter Pecan Cake
SO soft and moist: These cake layers are incredibly soft and tender, with brown sugar adding extra flavor and moisture.
Buttery toasted pecans: Toasting the pecans in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon brings out their flavor and adds the BEST nutty, buttery goodness to every bite.
The BEST cinnamon cream cheese frosting: My favorite cream cheese frosting gets a little upgrade with cinnamon, which complements the brown sugar and toasted pecans SO well!
Easy to make: You don’t need any fancy techniques to make this butter pecan cake. Just follow the steps, and you’ll have beautiful, delicious cake layers ready to frost.
Perfect for any occasion: Whether you’re baking for a birthday, a family gathering, or just because you’re craving cake, this butter pecan cake never disappoints!
How to Make Butter Pecan Cake
You can find the full list of ingredients for this butter pecan cake recipe in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is just a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (recipe video is also provided in the recipe card below).
Toasted Pecans
In a saucepan over low-medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is hot and just starting to bubble.
Add in the chopped pecans and stir constantly for about 2 minutes, making sure the pecans are completely coated in the buttery mixture. The mixture will become frothy. Be careful not to let the pecans burn. Transfer them to a plate and spread into a single layer to cool completely.
Butter Pecan Cake Batter
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional and grease two 8-inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release). Line the bottoms with parchment paper, as the pecans can sometimes stick to the bottom of the tins. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream together on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
Add in the eggs one by one, mixing on low speed for about 10–15 seconds between each addition, or until well combined.
Add in the sour cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until everything is well combined. Now set your mixer aside, as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Then add in the milk and fold until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold until you can no longer see any streaks of flour. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake dense instead of soft and tender.
Add in the cooled toasted pecans, including any leftover buttery sugar mixture, and gently fold until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared 8-inch cake tins. I like to weigh my cake tins to make sure there is an even amount of batter in each. Smooth out the tops and lightly drop the tins on the counter to remove any large air bubbles.
Bake for 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
Once baked, allow the cake layers to cool in the tins for 20 minutes. Carefully run a thin knife around the edges to release the cakes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
In a large bowl, add the room-temperature butter. Using an electric mixer, cream on medium-high speed for a few minutes until light, fluffy, and pale in color.
Add in the powdered sugar in three batches, mixing on low speed after each addition until well incorporated before adding the next batch.
Add in the cold cream cheese, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix on medium speed just until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Be careful not to overmix.
Assembly (see video for demonstration)
Once the cake layers are completely cool, use a serrated knife to level the tops so they’re nice and flat. You can also trim the caramelized edges if desired.
Place the first cake layer onto a serving plate or cake stand and spread a generous layer of cinnamon cream cheese frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula.
Place the second cake layer on top and gently press down to secure it.
Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. You can keep the frosting rustic or use a cake scraper or offset spatula to smooth everything out for a cleaner finish.
Transfer any remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with a 1M piping tip and pipe a simple decoration on top. Finish with extra pecans, if desired.
If the frosting is quite soft, especially in warmer weather, refrigerate the decorated butter pecan cake for about 30 minutes to allow the frosting to firm up before slicing and serving.
How to Store Butter Pecan Cake
Refrigerator: Because this butter pecan cake is topped with cream cheese frosting, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The frosting will firm up in the fridge, so let the cake sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving for the softest cake layers and creamiest frosting.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing the fully frosted butter pecan cake, as cream cheese frosting can change texture after freezing and thawing. If you’d like to prepare ahead, you can freeze the unfrosted cake layers instead. Allow them to cool completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and place them in an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw the layers in the refrigerator before unwrapping and assembling the cake.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cake layers a day ahead and allow them to cool completely before wrapping them tightly and storing them in an airtight container. I recommend preparing the frosting on the day, just before decorating the cake.
Can I use a different type of cream cheese?
For the best results, I recommend using full-fat, block-style cream cheese rather than spreadable cream cheese from a tub. Block cream cheese is firmer and helps give the frosting a thicker consistency.
How do I stop my cream cheese frosting from becoming too soft?
Make sure your butter is at room temperature and your cream cheese is cold when making the frosting. Mix just until smooth and creamy, as overmixing can make cream cheese frosting softer. If the frosting feels too soft to work with, refrigerate it briefly before assembling the cake.
Moist Butter Pecan Cake
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Toasted Pecans
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter
- 1½ tbsps (19 g) soft light brown sugar
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1¼ cups (125 g) pecans - roughly chopped
Cake Batter
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 2½ tsps baking powder
- ½ tsp salt - omit if using salted butter
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- ¼ cup (55 g) unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola oil
- 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) soft light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract/essence
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream - room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) whole milk - full fat, room temperature
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar - also known as icing/confectioners' sugar
- 1½ cups (335 g) cream cheese - cold. Use a firm/block type, not the spreadable type
- 1½ tsps vanilla extract/essence
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- pecans for decorating
Instructions
Toasted Pecans
- In a saucepan over low-medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is hot and just starting to bubble.
- Add in the chopped pecans and stir constantly for about 2 minutes, making sure the pecans are completely coated in the buttery mixture. The mixture will become frothy. Be careful not to let the pecans burn. Transfer them to a plate and spread into a single layer to cool completely.
Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) conventional (see note 1 if using a convection oven with a fan) and grease two 8-inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release). Line the bottoms with parchment paper, as the pecans can sometimes stick to the bottom of the tins. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream together on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add in the eggs one by one, mixing on low speed for about 10–15 seconds between each addition, or until well combined.
- Add in the sour cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until everything is well combined. Now set your mixer aside, as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Then add in the milk and fold until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold until you can no longer see any streaks of flour. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake dense instead of soft and tender.
- Add in the cooled toasted pecans, including any leftover buttery sugar mixture, and gently fold until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared 8-inch cake tins. I like to weigh my cake tins to make sure there is an even amount of batter in each. Smooth out the tops and lightly drop the tins on the counter to remove any large air bubbles.
- Bake for 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Once baked, allow the cake layers to cool in the tins for 20 minutes. Carefully run a thin knife around the edges to release the cakes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, add the room-temperature butter. Using an electric mixer, cream on medium-high speed for a few minutes until light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Add in the powdered sugar in three batches, mixing on low speed after each addition until well incorporated before adding the next batch.
- Add in the cold cream cheese, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix on medium speed just until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Be careful not to overmix (see note 2).
Assembly (see video for demonstration)
- Once the cake layers are completely cool, use a serrated knife to level the tops so they're nice and flat. You can also trim the caramelized edges if desired.
- Place the first cake layer onto a serving plate or cake stand and spread a generous layer of cinnamon cream cheese frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula.
- Place the second cake layer on top and gently press down to secure it.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. You can keep the frosting rustic or use a cake scraper or offset spatula to smooth everything out for a cleaner finish.
- Transfer any remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with a 1M piping tip and pipe a simple decoration on top. Finish with extra pecans, if desired.
- If the frosting is quite soft, especially in warmer weather, refrigerate the decorated cake for about 30 minutes to allow the frosting to firm up before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
