Butter Pecan Bliss Cake
A delightful cake that combines toasty butter and crunchy pecans, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter Melted and browned
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar Firmly packed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk Room temperature preferred
- 2 large eggs Room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups pecan halves Very finely chopped
For the Icing
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter Softened
- 6 oz cream cheese Softened
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar Firmly packed
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- ⅓ cup pecan halves Very finely chopped, optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Melt 1 cup of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until golden specks form, which takes about 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a big bowl, whisk together 3 cups of cake flour, 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of packed light brown sugar, 1 tsp of baking powder, ½ tsp of baking soda, and 1 tsp of salt. Set aside.
- Add the cooled browned butter to the dry mix and beat with a mixer until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups of room-temperature buttermilk, 2 large room-temperature eggs, and 1 ½ tsp of vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually mix this into the butter-flour mix until just combined.
- Fold in 1 ½ cups of finely chopped pecans using a spatula.
- Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake for 30 minutes, checking with a toothpick until it comes out clean.
- Let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely.
Icing
- Beat together 1 ½ cups of softened unsalted butter and 6 oz of softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Add ⅓ cup of packed light brown sugar, 1 ½ tsp of vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp of salt, mixing well.
- Gradually mix in 4 ½ cups of powdered sugar and 1 tbsp of heavy cream until fluffy, adding more cream if needed for a spreadable consistency.
Assembly
- Level the cooled cakes if necessary. Place one layer on a serving plate, spread a layer of icing, and stack the next layer on top. Repeat with the last layer.
- Frost the outside and sprinkle with chopped pecans, if desired.
Serving
- Serve at room temperature or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
Notes
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature for optimal mixing and texture. Don’t rush the browning of the butter for a special nutty flavor. For a stronger pecan flavor, toast the pecans before adding them to the batter.