Pecan Cake with Maple Frosting
Simple Pecan Cake with sweet maple frosting. Soft, moist and full of fall flavors.
Servings: 9 slices
Calories: 625kcal
Ingredients
For the Sugared Pecans
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar or light brown
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
For the Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple Frosting
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 5 tablespoons milk 2% or milk substitute, like almond milk
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 inch square pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Finely chop pecans in a food processor until pieces resemble large sand. Set aside.
- In a small skillet, melt 4 tablespoon butter. Add brown sugar and stir together. Add chopped pecans and cook on medium low heat until pecans are fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Using a food processor, add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blitz to combine.
- Add butter and blitz until mixture resembles rough sand.
- Remove mixture and place in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add buttermilk and vanilla, mixing on medium until fully combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add toasted pecans, reserving ¼ cup to sprinkle on top.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until set or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set on a cooling rack.
- While cake is cooling, mix up the frosting.
Maple Frosting
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a handheld mixer whisk butter for about 1 minute. Slowly add powdered sugar and maple extract.
- While whisking on high, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is a spreadable consistency.
- Once cake cools, top with maple frosting and sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans.
Notes
Cake keeps well on the countertop for up to a week when wrapped tightly with aluminum foil or stored in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 898IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2mg