Description
Luxurious Georgia Pecan Cake celebrates Southern baking traditions with rich caramel and buttery pecans. Sweet layers of Southern comfort promise a delightful dessert experience you’ll savor with pure culinary pleasure.
Ingredients
Scale
Pecan Topping:
- 1 cup chopped pecans (or pecan halves)
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cake Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Cake Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Prepare the oven to 350F (175C) and set up a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease.
- Create a luscious pecan base by whisking melted butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt into a smooth mixture. Distribute evenly across the pan’s bottom and generously scatter pecans across the surface.
- Craft the cake batter by combining dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in one bowl. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then incorporate eggs individually, ensuring thorough blending after each addition.
- Gently fold vanilla extract into the butter mixture. Alternate adding dry ingredient mixture and buttermilk to the batter, mixing until just combined to maintain a light texture.
- Carefully pour the batter over the pecan layer, smoothing the surface with a spatula to ensure even distribution.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should emerge clean and dry.
- Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 5-10 minutes, preventing caramel from solidifying completely. Carefully loosen edges with a knife.
- Invert the cake onto a serving plate in one confident motion, allowing the pecan topping to settle and create a stunning caramelized design.
- Serve warm, optionally accompanied by a dollop of whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a decadent caramel sauce drizzle.
Notes
- Swap buttermilk with dairy-free alternatives like almond milk mixed with apple cider vinegar for a vegan-friendly version.
- Toast pecans beforehand to enhance their nutty flavor and create a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature to help achieve a smoother, more consistent cake batter that bakes evenly.
- If the caramel topping becomes too sticky, briefly warm the inverted cake pan to help release the pecan layer smoothly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 325 kcal
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg