Brown Sugar Pecan Cake
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A rich pound cake with browned sugar and toasted pecans. Butter and sugars whipped to airy fluffiness. Eggs folded in gradually to keep air. Dry mix combined gently to avoid overworking. Toasted pecans add crunch and nutty aroma. Baked low and slow in large bundt pan until edges pull away, golden crust forms. Toothpick check essential but look for golden hue, subtle crack on top. Let cool in pan for partial set, then invert. Subtle caramel notes from brown sugar mingle with buttery cake and toasted nuts. Care needed in mixing to keep tender crumb. Visual and tactile cues aid baking precision. Adaptable to walnuts or almonds. A workhorse dessert for gatherings.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
12 servings
#American dessert
#nut cake
#pound cake
#bundt cake
#brown sugar
#toasted nuts
Start with butter soft, but not melting. The key? Patience creaming sugar and butter till pale and fluffy. Brown sugar adds deeper aroma but needs balancing with granulated – too much brown and cake gets heavy. Toasted pecans bring crack and nutty scent, rough texture in the smooth cake just right. Oven hot but low to bake gently. Watch edges for pull-away, top cracks, even color, and toothpick dry or moist crumb. Let cake rest outside pan but use warm tactile feel to judge readiness. I learned early to trust senses over clock for a tender crumb. The resounding thump as unmolded, the slight crackle with slicing – all part of the ritual. Swap nuts if needed, butter should smell sweet, sugar granular but dissolving. This isn’t fast food cake. Slow moments make best.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup toasted pecans chopped
About the ingredients
Butter temperature is critical; too cold means lumps, too warm turns greasy and fails creaming process. Use unsalted, flaky butter for best flavor control. I swapped half brown sugar for dark molasses sugar once – thicker batter, intensified caramel, more sticky crust. Pecans toasted slowly in dry pan, not burnt, to coax out oils and aroma. Flour measured by spooning into cup then leveling avoids over flouring, which dries cake. Salt heightens flavor contrast in sweet cake – never skip. Vanilla best real extract, not imitation or pastes – gives complexity. Eggs large and room temp blend more evenly; cold eggs shock batter. Nut substitution possible but pecans’ soft crunch is signature. Granulated sugar supports lift and crisp crust versus all brown sugar’s moisture.
Method
- Oven set 325°F. Grease and flour a 14.5-cup bundt, tap excess flour out. Toast pecans on skillet, watch carefully, aromatic and lightly browned before chopping.
- Use stand mixer. Beat butter with sugars till pale, airy – about 5 minutes. Don’t rush; air whipped here means tender crumb. Add eggs one at a time, mix just till combined after each addition. Overmix and cake tightens.
- In separate bowl, whisk flour with salt. Add flour mixture to butter in thirds, mixing gently but thoroughly after each addition. Stops dense cake from forming.
- Stir in vanilla extract then fold in pecans last, distribute evenly but don’t overmix.
- Scrape batter into pan, smooth surface with spatula. Tap pan on counter once or twice to settle batter, release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake 60 to 70 minutes. Check after 55 minutes by sight and smell. Cake edges start pulling from pan, golden crust with subtle cracks on top. Toothpick inserted should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs – no wet batter.
- If tops brown too fast, tent with foil last 15 minutes. Smoke alarms and burnt sugar ruins mood.
- Remove from oven, rest 15 minutes in pan. Cake firm enough to release but still warm. Invert carefully onto platter. Warm aroma and slight crack sound when unmolding is worth it.
- Cool completely before slicing or cake will crumble. Store wrapped tight to keep moist.
- Swap pecans with toasted walnuts or slivered almonds, slightly reduce nuts if using denser variety. Brown sugar ratio can shift up or down to intensify caramel notes. Granulated sugar balances moisture.
- Missed soft butter stage? Cake will be dense. Use room temp ingredients always. Avoid plastic bowls for creaming – metal or glass keeps temp steady.
- If cake seems underdone but toothpick clean, trust visual clues and touch: cake springs back lightly when poked. If very soft, give more time but watch bottom crust burn risk.
Cooking tips
Creme butter and sugars long enough; looks fluffy, light pale cream color is cue. Beats stale or grainy batter.Adding eggs one at a time avoids batter collapse—patience during this critical step pays off with airy texture.Dry mix added in portions reduces gluten overdevelopment, keeps crumb tender.Vanilla and nuts last to avoid beating down the batter after flour is incorporated.Batter thick but spreadable, feel it. Tap pan to settle and release strangled bubbles that cause holes.Bake at 325°F low and slow preserves crumb moisture. Visual signs: edges pulling, deep golden crust, slight cracks near center.Toothpick test isn’t absolute; clean or moist crumb only, no wet batter.Foil tent saves burnt tops but don’t open oven repeatedly.Rest in pan for 10–15 minutes helps set and prevents breakage while unmolding.Turn out carefully on a wire rack or platter. The cake still warm fills kitchen with buttery sweetness.Let cool before slicing or cake will crumble. Store tightly covered.Common mistake: overmixing after flour addition or rushing eggs in reduces rise and makes dense cake.Temperature steady and timing rules only so far, trust your judgement with visual and tactile cues.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter temp critical. Too cold lumps batter. Too warm greasy. Room temp best. Use glass or metal bowl. Avoid plastic - keeps temp steady. Soft but not melting. Pause creaming once fluffy pale cream. Wait for air whipped texture.
- 💡 Add eggs slow. One at a time. Mix just till blended. Overmix deflates air. Dense cake follows. Patience here holds crumb light. No rush. Fan out air bubbles from butter sugar fluffy mass.
- 💡 Flour mix in thirds. Whisk with salt first. Fold gently but fully. Stops gluten overdevelopment. Overmix means tight crumb. Use spoon measure, level avoids excess flour. Dry cake risk if skipped.
- 💡 Vanilla last addition before nuts. Use pure extract best, not imitation. Adds subtle complexity beyond sweet. Nuts fold in final step. Toast pecans in dry pan, lightly browned not burnt. Gives crunch gives aroma.
- 💡 Batter thick but spreadable. Tap pan on counter twice, air released. Bake 325°F low and slow. Visual cues: edges pull from pan, top cracks golden. Toothpick clean or moist crumbs no wet batter. Foil tent last 15 min if browning too fast.
Common questions
How to tell if cake is done without toothpick?
Look edges pulling away pan. Top has slight cracks. Golden crust. Press lightly, springs back. If soft or jiggles, more bake needed. Smell changes too - buttery sweet, no raw sugar odor.
Can I swap pecans for walnuts or almonds?
Yes but adjust quantity. Walnuts denser may need less nuts. Almonds slivered work well. Toast nuts first for aroma. Adds different crunch also. Keep fold gentle to preserve texture.
What if my cake is dense?
Overmixing after adding flour common culprit. Also butter not soft enough affects rise. Eggs cold shock batter too. Mixer speed high mixes out air bubbles. Room temp ingredients help hold structure.
Best way to store the cake?
Wrap tight in plastic or foil to maintain moisture. Refrigerate if warm climate but bring back room temp before slicing. Cake dries fast if uncovered. Freeze slices wrapped tightly, thaw slowly.
