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Buttery Pecan Cake Treat

Featured in Indulgent Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Any Sweet Tooth.

Bake this rich pecan cake that’s full of flavor. Toast your pecans with browned butter and save some for topping. Mix a smooth cream cheese layer by blending cream cheese, powdered sugar, and eggs. Prep your batter by creaming sugar and browned butter, then blend in eggs, vanilla, and bourbon. Alternate adding buttermilk and flour until smooth. Pour the mixture into a springform pan, sprinkle pecans, and top with the cream cheese mix. Bake for 40-45 minutes. After cooling, make a caramel sauce to drizzle on top. Decorate with extra pecans and serve at room temperature for an amazing dessert.
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Updated on Sat, 05 Apr 2025 20:33:48 GMT
Tasty Buttery Pecan Cake Pin it
Tasty Buttery Pecan Cake | chefmelt.com

A decadent Sticky Butter Pecan Cake blending deep toasted butter, crunchy pecans, and a smooth cream cheese swirl. Every bite delivers waves of sweet caramel wrapped in buttery goodness, making a treat that feels fancy yet homey. You can't resist the mouthwatering smell of toasted butter and warm pecans throughout this amazing cake.

Baking this cake has turned into my must-do fall activity. The first year I brought it to our Thanksgiving table, my relatives thought I'd bought it from a fancy bakery. These days, everyone asks for it whenever we get together, and the amazing smell fills my home, bringing everyone straight to the kitchen.

Essential Elements

  • Unsalted Butter: Lets you toast it and control the saltiness
  • Whole Pecans: Give them a quick roast first for better taste
  • Regular Cream Cheese: Take it out early so it's soft
  • Big Eggs: Need to be room warm for best mixing
  • Regular Flour: Scoop gently and level off for right amount
  • Thick Cream (36%): Makes the caramel sauce super smooth
  • Real Vanilla Extract: Skip the fake stuff
  • New Baking Powder: Helps your cake puff up right

Detailed Instructions

1. Getting the Butter Ready:
First, cook your unsalted butter on medium until it stops bubbling and turns golden with a nutty smell - usually takes around 5-7 minutes. Pour it into a heat-safe dish right away so it doesn't burn. Let it cool down a bit.
2. Fixing the Pecans:
Warm your pecans in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring once, until they smell good. Cool them completely, then chop half into tiny bits and leave the other half bigger for different textures.
3. Mixing Dry Stuff:
Run your flour, baking powder, and salt through a sifter. This spreads everything evenly and gets rid of clumps. Put it aside while you work on the wet items.
4. Making the Cream Cheese Part:
Beat your softened cream cheese until it's totally smooth, about 3 minutes. Slowly add sugar, then mix in eggs one by one. Stir in vanilla just until it's mixed. Set this mixture aside.
5. Putting the Cake Mix Together:
Mix the cooled toasted butter with sugars until it's fluffy and light, around 4-5 minutes. Add eggs one after another, scraping the bowl between each. Switch between adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mix.
Butter Pecan Cake Pin it
Butter Pecan Cake | chefmelt.com

Key Advice

  • Keep your eye on the butter while it browns - it burns fast
  • Make sure all ingredients aren't cold
  • Don't mix too much after adding flour
  • Your baking powder needs to be fresh
  • Let brown butter cool before using it

Over my many years of baking, I've found that browning butter is a little trick that turns a basic cake into something special. My grandma always told me to trust my nose - when you catch that nutty smell, you know it's done.

Delicious Gooey Butter Pecan Cake Recipe Pin it
Delicious Gooey Butter Pecan Cake Recipe | chefmelt.com

Useful Baking Tricks

  • Your butter's done browning when it gets quiet
  • Save some pecans to sprinkle on top
  • Check your cake 5 minutes early
  • Don't rush warming up your ingredients
  • Use a bright pan to see the browning better

Making this Sticky Butter Pecan Cake feels like mixing music with food - every part works together for an amazing finish. It always gets tons of compliments at parties and special dinners.

Keeping It Fresh

This cake stays yummy when kept in a sealed container in your fridge for about 5 days. For the best taste, take it out at least 30 minutes before eating so the caramel gets soft and the gooey texture comes back. If you want to make it early, you can fix the cake parts and caramel sauce separately - keep the sauce in a jar and warm it up before putting everything together. You can also wrap the cake without frosting and freeze it for up to 2 months.

Gooey Butter Pecan Cake Pin it
Gooey Butter Pecan Cake | chefmelt.com

Perfect Timing and Eating

What makes this cake so great comes down to temperature. If it's too cold, the caramel gets hard and loses its gooey feel. Too warm and it falls apart. I've learned that leaving it out for exactly 30 minutes before serving hits the sweet spot - the caramel gets just runny enough while the cake stays together. For fancy occasions, I pop slices in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which gives you an awesome hot-cold combo.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I leave out bourbon?
Totally! Swap it with vanilla for a similar taste or just skip it altogether.
→ What if I’m missing a springform pan?
No worries! Use a 9-inch round pan, just be extra careful when taking the cake out.
→ How long will this cake last?
Keep it in the fridge, and it’ll stay good for 3 days. Bring it to room temperature before enjoying.
→ Can I freeze the cake?
Yes, you can! Freeze the cake without the caramel for up to 2 months. After thawing, add the caramel and enjoy.
→ Is this safe for nut allergies?
No, it’s not nut-allergy friendly since it has pecans.

Buttery Pecan Cake Treat

This buttery pecan cake has fluffy layers, creamy topping, caramel drizzle, and toasted pecans. It's perfect for any special moment or casual sweet craving.

Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook Time
45 Minutes
Total Time
75 Minutes

Category: Dessert Recipes

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: American

Yield: 10 Servings (1 full cake)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Brown Butter and Toasted Pecans

01 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 g)
02 2 tablespoons salted butter (28 g)
03 1 1/4 cups roughly chopped pecans (140 g)

→ Cheesecake Topping

04 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (325 g)
05 1 egg yolk, softened
06 1 whole egg, softened
07 8 ounces softened cream cheese (226 g)

→ Cake Base

08 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
10 Browned butter made above
11 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
12 3/4 cup white sugar (150 g)
13 1 whole egg, softened
14 1 egg yolk, softened
15 1/4 teaspoon salt
16 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
17 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain flour (141 g)
18 1/2 cup room temperature buttermilk (120 ml)

→ Salted Caramel Drizzle

19 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 5 tablespoons softened salted butter (70 g)
21 1 cup white sugar (200 g)
22 1/2 cup heavy cream, softened (120 ml)
23 Salt to taste (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)

Instructions

Step 01

In a small pan on medium heat, toast the pecans with salted butter for 3-4 minutes until they smell toasty. Keep aside 1/4 cup of the pecans for decoration. Separately, cook unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring, until it’s golden and aromatic (around 5-6 minutes). Let it cool, then store in the fridge until it’s set but soft.

Step 02

Use a hand or stand mixer to whip the softened cream cheese until silky. Add the egg and extra yolk one by one, blending after each. Slowly sift in the icing sugar and beat until combined. Put it to the side.

Step 03

Set your oven to 350°F and prep a 9-inch springform pan with parchment on the base and some grease along the sides. Whisk the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in one bowl. In another, beat sugar with cooled browned butter until airy. Add eggs, vanilla, and the bourbon if using. Then, gently mix in the dry ingredients with buttermilk a bit at a time until smooth.

Step 04

Spread the batter evenly in the springform pan and sprinkle with most of the toasted pecans. Dollop and spread the cream cheese topping over it. Bake for 40-45 minutes. You’ll want a shiny center but golden edges when it’s done. Let it cool on a rack for 45 minutes, and then put it in the fridge for 2 hours to chill completely.

Step 05

Melt the sugar over medium-low heat in a saucepan, stirring occasionally until it’s liquid and amber in color. Lower the heat and stir in the butter, mixing quickly. Add heavy cream and mix vigorously to bring it all together—don’t worry if it separates, just turn up the heat a little and stir it back. Add vanilla and salt, then cook for 2-3 more minutes. Cool this completely.

Step 06

Carefully remove the cake from the pan and place it on a serving plate. Drizzle the cool caramel over the top and sprinkle the reserved pecans. Slice and serve at room temperature with a big smile.

Notes

  1. The nuttiness from browned butter adds depth to the flavor.
  2. Don’t pour hot caramel on the cake—it might melt the topping!

Tools You'll Need

  • Springform pan (9-inch)
  • Baking paper
  • Big mixing bowl
  • Mixer (hand or stand)
  • Small pot
  • Spatula with an offset tip
  • Wire rack for cooling

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Uses wheat (flour base)
  • Contains dairy (butter, cream cheese, heavy cream)
  • Includes nuts (pecans)
  • Eggs are part of the dish

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 500
  • Total Fat: 28 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 55 g
  • Protein: 6 g