If you love upside down cakes and pecan pie, you will fall in love with this buttery Pecan Pie cake Recipe too. And that salted caramel pecan topping will have your heart!
Try my Banana Caramel Cupcakes next! Find all my Bundt Cake Recipes here.
Oh and I almost forgot, do you love caramel, but are afraid of all those calories that come with it? Then you got to try these Dates Bars that are naturally sweetened and taste just like caramel!!
If you are looking for more Holiday Desserts inspiration, you will love this Monkey Bread Recipe. Also check out these Mini Gingerbread Cakes in the spirit of Holidays!
This Butter pecan pound cake is kind of a cross between old fashioned Butter Pecan Cake and an Pecan upside down cake.
Between the sweet salty caramel sauce and buttery vanilla cake, sits a sticky Pecan pie filling. Could you ask for more?
And the best part? You don't have to prepare caramel sauce and pecan pie filling separately! Just dump all the filling ingredients together and pour cake batter over.
Pecan Pie Pound Cake: Taste & Texture
- Soft but not crumbly
- Super buttery and rich to taste with a close yet tender crumb
- Each bite pairs with a light crunch from sweet-salty caramelized pecans
After baking, when inverted the pecan filling will stay on top and the shiny caramel sauce will drip down the cake. My mouth is literally watering as I type this. Ewww!
Butter Pecan Cake Recipe ingredients:
- Pecan Filling: For making butter pecan filling, we will need brown sugar, butter, salt, pecans and some corn syrup.
- Pound Cake Batter:
- Butter: Can you imagine any pound cake without butter? 😉 I like to use unsalted butter to make cake batters, so I get to control the amount of salt that goes in. If you opt for salted butter, skip salt from the recipe.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour guarantees a soft and velvety crumb as it has less gluten than APF. You can make your own Cake flour at home. Check notes!
- Eggs: For binding and lifting the pound cake and giving it structure.
- Granulated Sugar: For sweetness.
- Milk: I recommend full fat milk for a rich pound cake. Although any kind of milk will work here.
- Little Baking powder: For lift.
- Vanilla and salt: For flavor.
How to make this upside-down cake?
This cake has two layers. The bottom layer will be cake layer and the top one is a ooey-gooey, sweet and sticky pecan pie kind of topping. The combination of soft and buttery vanilla pound cake and caramelized pecan filling? Totally irresistible.
Now we are employing Reverse Creaming technique to make our vanilla pound cake. This is a simple cake batter mixing technique that assures a soft and velvety cake crumb.
You can bake this cake with cake mix too. But if you wish to bake a cake from scratch with a uniquely soft crumb, try Reverse Creaming method of mixing!
How to reverse cream a cake?
Reverse creaming method is employed to produce a more tender crumb than regular cake. In making a traditional cake batter, we first cream butter and sugar together, then add eggs and flour.
But here, we will first mix all the dry ingredients together, then coat flour with butter. This coating of butter on flour prevents gluten formation in the batter. It results in a softer and tighter crumb.
The resulting cake crumb will not be dense in the slightest. Rather, it will be very springy to touch and velvety to taste. You will surely taste the difference!
Lets see how we are making this Pound Cake with Pecans:
- Firstly. we will mix our dry ingredients with room temp. butter to coat the flour.
- Add two eggs and some milk and beat thoroughly.
- And then add remaining eggs and wet ingredients in two additions, beating the batter after each. This step helps reducing gluten formation in the batter and it results in a soft and tender baked crumb.
- Pour cake batter over pecan filling and bake. This method is comparatively easy than regular creaming as less mixing is involved!
Pecan Filling:
This is literally the easiest filling ever! You will just stir all the filling ingredients (except pecans) in a microwave safe bowl. Now microwave them in small increments, till butter is melted and brown sugar dissolves.
Next add and mix in pecans, cool the filling down and pour in your cake pan.
Make ahead instructions: Pecan pie filling can also be made a few days in advance. To store it, just place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep good for4-5 days. When ready to bake the cake, bring filling to room temperature and sit it well before using.
What icing goes with Butter Pecan Cake?
I kept mine plane. Since the nutty flavors in this cake combined with buttery caramel like sauce pair so well with vanilla cake underneath.
But icing flavors like Cinnamon, Coffee, Caramel and even Chocolate would pair wonderfully well with this cake.
Does pecan pie cake need to be refrigerated?
Not necessarily, no. If you are planning on consuming it within 1-2 days, you don't need to refrigerate it. For longer storage refrigeration can be opted for, but I don't recommend it. Since refrigeration tends to dry out the cake.
How to Freeze: Rather freeze it in freezer safe container and it will last there for about 2 months. Thaw on counter top or in the refrigerator for a few hours/overnight before enjoying.
How many calories in a slice of pecan cake?
It entirely depends on how big of a slice you cut from this cake. A medium sized slice serving has 479 calories.
Bundt cake FAQs!
should a bundt pan be greased? What's the best way to grease a bundt pan?
Short answer is yes! Greasing promises an easy bundt cake release! Butter, oil, shortening anything can be used to grease bundt cakes. Also, provide a flour coating after greasing. Shake off the excess flour out of the cake pan before pouring the batter in.
You can also spray bundt cake pans with baking spray. Make sure to reach to every nook of the pan!
How long to let a bundt cake cool before flipping?
For 10-15 minutes minimum. Don't be tempted to get the cake out of pan as soon as it comes out of oven. After 10-12 minutes, flip it and it will slowly start to come out of the pan!
How do you know when a bundt cake is done?
The cake will start pulling away from its sides. Also, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean. Just a few cooked cake crumbs are fine on the toothpick. When taken out at this stage, your cake will never turn out dry.
What is the best pan to cook a pound cake in?
Any non stick pan, that isn't too dark would be good to bake Pound Cakes. Just remember not to fill them more than ⅔ or ¾ with cake batter. As your cake can overflow out of the pan while baking.
Recipe Variations:
- Bake it as a sheet cake: You can also bake this cake as sheet cake. Method will just be the same. Firstly you will grease the sheet pan, spread pie filling on it and then pour cake batter over the filling and bake at 350 deg F until done.
- No Bundt Pan, no prob!! This cake can easily be baked into springform pan, standard sized loaf pan, 9 inch square or round pan. Just half the recipe if you plan to take that route.
I have many bundt cake recipes on the blog, but this one is my absolute favorite! Coz all that Chocolate!!!
More fall desserts that you will love:
If you liked these Muffins give them a star review. Also, tell me in the comments below, how did this turn out for you! And don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram at #greedyeatsblog Also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!
Recipe
Pecan Upside Down Cake
Equipment
- 1 (12 cup capacity) 10.2"D x 10.2"W x 3.75"H Bundt Pan
- 1 Microwave safe bowl
- 1 Stand Mixer/Hand Mixer
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Pecan Caramel Filling
- ¾ Cup Butter (unsalted, cut into cubes)
- ¾ Cup Brown sugar
- ⅓ Cup Light Corn Syrup
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1½ Cup Pecans (coarsely chopped)
For Pound Cake
- 2 ½ Cups (300 gms) Cake Flour
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tsps Baking Powder
- 1 ½ Cups (340 gms) Butter (unsalted, cut into cubes and at room temp)
- 6 large Eggs (room temp)
- 6 tablespoon Milk (Full fat, room temp)
- 1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ Cups (300 gms) Granulated Sugar
Instructions
For Pecan Filling
- Add butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in small increments, till the butter melts the brown sugar is dissolved. Next add in pecans and stir until combined. Spray the bottom of bundt pan with nonstick spray (or grease it with butter, covering every nook and crevice). Now pour pecan filling into bottom of the pan. Set the pan aside.
For the Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 deg F and grease and coat/spray a 12 cup bundt pan with melted butter/baking spray. Then pour pie filling into the pan. Set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), add flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Mix them on low speed for about 30 seconds. Now add butter cubes, three eggs and half of the milk to dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Now increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute.
- Stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula as needed. Next, add the remaining eggs, vanilla and milk in two additions and beat well after each addition for around 30 seconds at medium speed. Pour prepared cake batter over pecan filling and bake for 55-60 mins or till the cake passes the toothpick test.
- Keep a rimmed baking tray under the cake pan in oven to catch any drips of caramel sauce!
- After the cake is out of oven, allow to cool for 10-12 mins before flipping to get it out of the pan. Don't let it cool for more than 12 minutes in the pan. Doing so can cause the bundt cake to stick in the pan. Once flipped, scoop out any remaining pecans/sauce in the pan, over the cake. Enjoy!
Notes
- Any left overs will stay good at room temp (covered tightly) for 2 days.
- For longer storage, keep in refrigerator up to 5 days!
- This pecan pie upside down cake can also be frozen for 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on counter top for a few hours before serving.
- To be safe, I always keep a baking tray(rimmed) below the bundt tin to catch any caramel drips that might run over in the oven!
- When to flip cake out of bundt pan: Don't be tempted to get the cake out of pan as soon as it comes out of oven. After 10-12 minutes, flip it and it will slowly start to come out of the pan!
- Preventing Over Browning of cake: If you notice the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, cover it with an aluminum foil to prevent over browning.
- How much to fill your bundt pan: Always fill your bundt pans ⅔ - ¾ full to prevent cake batter from over-flowing in the oven. If you have any extra cake batter bake them as cupcakes or in another small cake pans.
- What kind of cake Pans can be used: Springform pan, standard sized 9x5 loaf pan, 9 inch square or round pan can also be used for baking this cake. Just half the recipe if you plan to take that route. Irrespective of the pan you use, make sure it isn’t filled more than ⅔-3/4 full.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
This was amazing and such a treat! Thank you! Everyone in my family loved it.
Tavo
Hey there! Just wanted to drop by and say how much I loved your post on the Pecan Pie Cake. Your recipe is an absolute gem! The combination of rich, gooey pecan pie filling and moist cake layers is simply divine. I could practically taste the sweet caramel and nutty flavors through the screen. Your instructions were clear and easy to follow, making it a breeze to recreate this heavenly dessert. Thanks for sharing this delightful treat with us—I can't wait to bake it and savor every bite. Keep up the fantastic work!
Suja md
I just loved this cake and every bite was such a pleasing experience!
Savita
This was an instant hit in my family, so soft inside and pecans gave the required crunch to it. Loved the recipe.
Michelle
I made this at the weekend for a family dinner and it turned out amazing! Everyone loved it and was asking for the recipe. Will definitely make this again, thanks for the recipe.
Holley
I can not get enough of this cake! It is absolutely DELISH!!!!