Pecan Cake with Fluffy Frosting

Here is an all-made from-scratch cake with pecans a Southern delightful cake that we love with fluffy frosting.

If you love pecans and the taste of crunchy sweet toasted ones, our recipe for this wonderful cake is off the charts and you'll be in pecan heaven.

What’s better than an all-homemade buttery-tasting pecan cake with fluffy frosting for pecan lovers?

If you aren't a baker and don't want to make this from scratch, use a yellow cake mix and at least make the frosting and psst add maple extract to the yellow batter.

I honestly am a huge fan of this cake, and so was my dear dad and the reason I had to learn to make this, and now unfortunately only in his memory.

If you’re looking for a winning dessert cake with pecans and a fluffy cream cheese frosting this is amazing x 100!

This cake needs nothing else other than how it's written, however, knock yourself out with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream to go along with that delicious slice of cake.

If you're in a hurry, just make a cake mix version, but do check out the recipe at the bottom of our post for this delightful scratch pecan buttery delicious cake.

Easy Steps for Making Pecan Cake

1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pans you're using: place the oven at 350 degrees and grease pans ( 2- 9 inches 3- 8 inches or a 13 x 9-inch pan)
2. Toast Pecans: Add 1/4 cup butter to either a baking sheet and toast baking the pecans or toast them in a skillet on the stovetop then cool
3. Dry Ingredients: Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together 
4. Wet Ingredients: Cream the wet Ingredients: In a clean bowl beat the butter and sugar then alternate adding the milk, extract, and butter with eggs and alternate the milk with dry ingredients
5. Fold: in the toasted pecans
6. Bake: Pour into prepared pans and bake for around 20 minutes or until the toothpick comes clean
7. Cool: Invert the cake after 10 minutes and cool them completely
8. Frost: Frost cooled cakes and garnish with toasted pecans

Shopping List to Make Pecan Cake

• chopped pecans
• granulated sugar
• all-purpose flour
• maple extract or pure vanilla extract
• salt
• butter
• eggs
• baking powder
• whole milk or evaporated milk
• Fluffy Frosting: 
• salted butter
• powdered sugar
• cream cheese
• evaporated milk or use half and half
• maple extract or use vanilla
• Garnish with toasted chopped pecans

Alternate Mix- In's and Baking Pan to Use

1. chopped toasted pistachios
2. chopped macadamia nuts
3. toasted almonds
4. for allergies use sunflower or pumpkin seeds
5. sprinkle with shaved chocolate with toasted pecans
6. drizzle the cake with melted caramel ice cream topping
7. sprinkle with colorful candies to match a party theme
8. sprinkle with coconut
9. add another flavoring you prefer to match the mix-ins
10. chopped dried fruits
11. 3- 8inch pans bake for 20 minutes
12. 1 bundt pan-bake for 45 minutes
13. 1 13 x 9 pan bake for 30 minutes
14. 2 9-inch pans bake for 20 minutes
15. character or shaped pan same as a 9-inch round pan 
16. always use the toothpick method

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Pecan Cake with Fluffy Frosting

Yield: 15

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

This is Southern style Pecan Cake made from scratch with a fabulous cream cheese frosting and crunchy toasted pecans.

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of maple extract or pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of butter at room temperature
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 cup of whole milk or evaporated milk
• Fluffy Frosting:
• 1 cup of salted butter
• 2 pounds of powdered sugar (approx. 8 cups)
• 8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 can of evaporated milk or use half and half
• 1  teaspoon of maple extract or more to taste (or use vanilla)
• Garnish with 2/3 cup toasted chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 2 - 9-inch round pans (1 13 x 9 pan or 3 8-inch pans.
2. Toast the pecans ( also the 1/4 cup pecans if used for garnish) with 1/4 cup of butter and cool ( add them to a baking sheet, toss in melted butter, and bake for around 10 minutes to toast at 400 degrees)
3. Cream the butter and sugar for 3 minutes using an electric mixer.
4. Beat the eggs in until mixed and blended together around 2 minutes more.
5. In a clean bowl add the dry ingredients and whisk together.
6. Alternate the dry ingredients using the milk just until blended evenly with the extract.
7. Fold in the nuts and pour into the prepared pans.
8. Baked until the middle is clean using a toothpick ( around 20 minutes depending on the pan for times this is based on 2 9-inch greased pans)
9. Cool and make the frosting while this is cooling on wire racks lined with wax paper.
10. Tip: it's easier to frost any cake when in a frozen state. This will reduce any crumbs.
11. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixture, whip the cream cheese then add all the frosting ingredients adding the powdered sugar a little at a time with the milk and beat until light and fluffy.
12. Spread on cooled cake and garnish with the remaining 2/3 cup of toasted pecans.

Notes

Alternate Mix- In's and Baking Pan to Use

1. chopped toasted pistachios
2. chopped macadamia nuts
3. toasted almonds
4. for allergies use sunflower or pumpkin seeds
5. sprinkle with shaved chocolate with toasted pecans
6. drizzle the cake with melted caramel ice cream topping
7. sprinkle with colorful candies to match a party theme
8. sprinkle with coconut
9. add another flavoring you prefer to match the mix-ins
10. chopped dried fruits
11. 3- 8inch pans bake for 20 minutes
12. 1 bundt pan-bake for 45 minutes
13. 1 13 x 9 pan bake for 30 minutes
14. 2 9-inch pans bake for 20 minutes
15. character or shaped pan same as a 9-inch round pan 
16. always use the toothpick method

Nutrition Facts

Calories

873.26

Fat (grams)

44.77 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

21.78 g

Carbs (grams)

113.26 g

Fiber (grams)

2.09 g

Net carbs

111.17 g

Sugar (grams)

91.19 g

Protein (grams)

9.36 g

Sodium (milligrams)

437.95 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

135.79 mg

These are auto-generated calculations by the recipe card

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https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2009/06/island-rum-pecan-bars.html

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American, Southern

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Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2009. It was edited and re-published in 2023.