By Diana Rattray
Southern Food Expert, about.com
This butter pecan cake is made with lots of toasted, buttery pecans.
It's a two layer cake frosted with a buttery pecan frosting. A small
amount of brown sugar goes into the cake, along with butter, pecans, and
eggs. It's an easy classic layer cake.
In a baking pan, combine the chopped pecans with the 4 tablespoons of butter. Bake for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pecans are toasted and aromatic. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the remaining 2/3 cup of softened butter until light and fluffy.
Divide the batter between two greased and floured 8- or 9-inch round layer cake pans. Spread evenly. Bake the butter pecan cake layers in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center of a cake. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool thoroughly before frosting.
Frosting
Blend confectioners' sugar with 1/2 cup of softened butter, a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and a few tablespoons of milk or light cream. Add more milk as needed, a teaspoon at a time. Stir in the remaining chopped toasted pecans.
Spread the frosting between layers, and then over the top and sides of the cake.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 2/3 cup plus 4 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Butter Pecan Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- about 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or light cream
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 F.In a baking pan, combine the chopped pecans with the 4 tablespoons of butter. Bake for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pecans are toasted and aromatic. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the remaining 2/3 cup of softened butter until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla.
Add
the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the 2/3 cup
of milk. Beat well after each addition. Fold in half — 3/4 cup — of the
toasted pecans.Divide the batter between two greased and floured 8- or 9-inch round layer cake pans. Spread evenly. Bake the butter pecan cake layers in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center of a cake. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool thoroughly before frosting.
Frosting
Blend confectioners' sugar with 1/2 cup of softened butter, a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and a few tablespoons of milk or light cream. Add more milk as needed, a teaspoon at a time. Stir in the remaining chopped toasted pecans.
Spread the frosting between layers, and then over the top and sides of the cake.
