Description
Pecan delight cake brings Southern comfort to dessert tables with classic charm. Rich layers of nutty sweetness promise a delightful experience for home bakers eager to share warm hospitality.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¼ cups (125 grams) pecans, roughly chopped
- 6 tbsps (85 grams) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (70 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tbsps light corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ¾ cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (160 milliliters) whole milk, room temperature
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch round pan with cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage.
- Pecan Glaze Creation: In a saucepan, melt butter and blend with brown sugar and corn syrup until a smooth, glossy caramel forms. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, salt, and chopped pecans, creating a rich, aromatic mixture.
- Base Layer: Spread the pecan glaze evenly across the pan’s bottom, establishing a decadent foundation for the cake.
- Dry Ingredient Blend: Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Butter Mixture: Cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, developing a smooth, aerated base.
- Wet Ingredient Integration: Incorporate egg and vanilla into the butter mixture, blending until uniform and scraping down the bowl’s sides to ensure complete mixing.
- Batter Assembly: Gently fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with milk and maintaining a delicate mixing technique to preserve the batter’s texture.
- Pan Filling: Carefully pour the batter over the pecan layer, ensuring complete and even distribution.
- Baking Process: Bake for 35-40 minutes, testing doneness with a skewer that should come out nearly clean.
- Final Presentation: Immediately invert the cake onto a serving plate, allowing the caramelized pecan topping to settle perfectly, then carefully remove the pan to reveal the stunning dessert.
Notes
- Select Quality Pecans: Choose fresh, crisp pecans without any rancid smell or dark spots for maximum flavor and crunch.
- Master the Caramel Layer: Stir continuously while creating the pecan glaze to prevent burning and achieve a smooth, glossy texture.
- Invert with Confidence: Act quickly when flipping the cake to prevent the caramel from hardening and ensure a perfect pecan topping distribution.
- Temperature Matters: Allow ingredients like butter and eggs to reach room temperature for smoother mixing and more consistent cake texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg