Butter Pecan Cake

Name: Butter Pecan Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 1¼ cups and 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened and divided (325g)); 1½ cups chopped pecans ((180g)); 4¼ cups all-purpose flour ((540g)); 2½ teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; ¾ teaspoon baking soda; 2½ cups granulated sugar ((500g)); 5 large eggs (room temperature); 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1¼ cup buttermilk (room temperature (300ml)); 1½ cups unsalted butter (softened (340g)); 2 (8-ounce/227g) blocks cream cheese (room temperature); ¼ teaspoon salt; 7 cups powdered sugar ((840g)); 1 tablespoon heavy cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ cup toasted pecans (finely chopped (60g))

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Who needs cake mix when you can make homemade butter pecan cake? With a fluffy and tender crumb and buttery and crunchy pecans, this cake certainly rewards you for making it from scratch! Though the recipe calls for a few ingredients and a handful of steps, I give you all of the tips to easily and successfully make a moist cake that everyone will love. Just get your butter softening and your oven preheating, and we’ll be enjoying some old-fashioned baking in no time!

This cake is a great option for anyone who loves the buttery flavor of butter pecan ice cream but wants a dessert they can enjoy in the cooler fall and winter months. Serve this cake for a crowd at almost any gathering, or make it just for yourself and refrigerate or freeze it to enjoy leftovers later. For more pecan recipes, check out my butter pecan cookies recipe, recipe for pecan pie, and my pecan sandies recipe.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make butter pecan cake.

Pecans – purchase pre-chopped pecans or chop your own pecan halves with a sharp chef’s knife. Raw or untoasted pecans are best for this recipe, as the recipe calls for toasting the nuts in butter before using them.

Unsalted Butter – choose unsalted butter, as different brands add different amounts of salt to the butter. Soften the butter to room temperature for the fluffiest and lightest cake sponge.

Cream Cheese – opt for full-fat cream cheese, as lighter varieties do not have enough milk fat to make the frosting creamy and rich. Additionally, bring the cheese to room temperature for at least 2 hours before making the frosting to ensure that it is easy to whip up.

Large Eggs – bring the eggs to room temperature before making the recipe. Warm eggs are more runny than cold eggs, making them easier to mix into the batter and allowing the cake batter to rise with less resistance. Quickly bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in warm, not hot, water for 5 minutes.

Buttermilk – interacts with the baking soda to leaven or raise the cake, producing an exceptionally light and fluffy cake. The acid in the buttermilk also tenderizes the sponge, giving it a tender crumb.

Powdered Sugar – also known as confectioner’s sugar. Use store-bought or make your own powdered sugar in a pinch.

How to Make Butter Pecan Cake

Set of two photos showing pecans added to a skillet of butter and dry ingredients whisked together in a bowl.

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add chopped pecans and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, or for 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the toasted nuts to a small bowl and let them cool completely.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Wrap with water-soaked fabric baking scrips, if desired. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Set of two photos showing eggs and flour mixture added to batter in a mixing bowl.

3. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the remaining 1¼ cups butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, or for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between each addition. Stop to scrape down sides as needed. Beat in the vanilla.

4. With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk.

Set of two photos showing buttermilk and pecans added to cake batter.

5. Repeat, alternating between the dry ingredients and buttermilk until both are fully combined. Stop to scrape down the bowl occasionally.

6. Fold in the cooled buttered pecans until evenly distributed.

Set of two photos showing batter scooped into baking pans and pecans pressed onto the outside of a frosted cake.

7. Divide the cake batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs. Let the cakes cool for 20 minutes in the pans on wire cooling racks. Invert the cakes, remove the parchment paper, and let the cakes cool completely on the wire racks. If you did not use the baking strips, trim the cake domes off of the cakes.

8. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese, and salt together on medium speed until creamy and well combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat until smooth and fluffy. Place one of the cooled cake layers on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 1 cup frosting, spreading smoothly out to the edges. Place another cake layer on the top of the cake and repeat with 1 cup of frosting. Top with the final cake layer, and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Press finely chopped pecans around the bottom sides of the cake, and sprinkle any remaining on top of the cake around the edge.

A butter pecan cake on a cake stand. A stack of plates and forks in the background with a bowl of pecans and some flowers.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Keep an eye on the toasting pecans. Adjust the heat on the stove if needed, and stir the pecans occasionally so they don’t burn. Remove the nuts from the heat once they have absorbed the butter and turned a light golden brown. The pecans will crisp up and get more crunchy as they cool. Cool the nuts entirely before adding them to the cake.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Or for about 3 to 4 minutes. Properly creaming like this will add an exceptionally light and fluffy texture to the cake sponge. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed while creaming as well to ensure that all of the mixture gets evenly creamed.
Add the wet ingredients to the cake batter as directed. Beat in the cracked eggs one at a time and alternate mixing in the buttermilk and the dry ingredients. This will help the eggs and ingredients to mix in more evenly and for the batter to be nice and light.
Cool the cakes completely before frosting. Prevent the frosting from melting off of the cake by cooling them completely before frosting. To speed up the cooling process you can chill the turned-out cakes on a wire rack in the refrigerator or freezer. If chilling in the freezer, check the cakes frequently and remove them as soon as they are chilled to prevent freezing.
Chill the frosted cake for at least 30 minutes or prepare ahead of time. Allow the frosting to set before serving. To prepare the cake ahead of time, frost and decorate it up to 1 day in advance. Store the cake in an airtight cake container or poke the top with a few toothpicks and gently tent plastic wrap over it, securing the wrap underneath the cake plate so it is airtight.
Optional: Make homemade buttermilk. Also known as “sour milk,” make your own homemade buttermilk by mixing 1 scant cup of sour cream with 5 tablespoons of water or milk. You can also add 4 teaspoons of distilled white vinegar to a 2-cup measuring cup and fill the cup to the 1¼ cup line with whole milk or 2% milk. Stir well and let sit for 5 minutes before using.

A slice of butter pecan cake on a pink plate with pecans pressed onto part of the frosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftovers?

Leftover butter pecans will keep covered in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The decorated cake can also be covered and refrigerated or frozen. To freeze, place the cake directly in the freezer where nothing can touch the tops or sides of it. Freeze for 1-3 hours, or until the frosting doesn’t leave an indentation when pressed gently but firmly with your finger. Take the cake from the freezer and wrap it well with plastic wrap. Finally, wrap the cake with heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze it for up to 3 months. Or, freeze individual slices in freezer-safe containers.

What do I serve with this?

Serve butter pecan cake for family get-togethers, birthday parties, potlucks, and special occasions. Top cake slices with ice cream or freshly whipped cream if desired, but it is also decadently delicious as-is alongside freshly brewed coffee, hot tea, or even homemade hot chocolate.

How do you use baking strips to minimize doming?

Though you can manually trim off any domes on the cake layers that occur during baking, using fabric baking strips can prevent the hassle and waste of cake trimming. Baking strips help to insulate the cake as it bakes, preventing the outside from cooking faster than the interior and therefore reducing or eliminating cake doming. Soak the strips following the package directions before using them, and wrap them around the outside of the cake pans before pouring in the batter.

If you love this recipe try these out!

If you’ve tried this butter pecan cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!