Butter Pecan Cake
Butter Pecan Cake is a butter pecan spice cake that is topped with a sweet coconut pecan frosting. Slice and serve up this delicious butter pecan sheet cake.
Soft, fluffy, tender crumbs, that will melt in your mouth with each bite. Best of all no piping skills are required for the frosting!
If you want more pecan inspired recipes, here are a few more to try out. Instant Pot Pecan Cheesecake, pecan pie monkey bread, butter pecan cookies or candied pecans!
How do you make Butter Pecan Cake from scratch
Mix Cake Batter | Start by whipping up your cake batter. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together. Adding in the egg and warm water or buttermilk if you chose to use that instead.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until combined. Begin beating the dry ingredients into the wet until completely incorporated.
Pour and Bake | Pour your cake batter into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Then bake in the oven, and once done remove and allow to cool.
Whip up Frosting | Once your cake is slightly cooled you will want to start working on your frosting.
Add the coconut, melted butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and pecans to a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer. Spread the coconut pecan frosting all over the cake. Feel free to add extra chopped pecans and coconut to the top of the cake to decorate the cake.
How long will Butter Pecan Cake last
You can expect your cake to last 3-5 days. The best time to serve up this cake is within the first two days of being made. It will be ultra moist and delicious but the longer it sits, the more it will dry out.
How to store this cake
You can store this cake at room temperature or in the fridge. The refrigerator can extend the shelf life of the cake.
Be sure to tightly cover the cake with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container regardless of which way you decide to store it.
How to freeze Butter Pecan Sheet Cake
If you want to freeze this cake you are more than welcome to freeze it. Place your cooled frosted cake in a freezer container and place it in the freezer for up to three months.
I like to pre-slice the cake so that all I have to do is remove a slice or two at a time. Then you have a super simple and easy dessert whenever you want.
Do I have to toast the pecans?
For this recipe, it is up to you if you choose to toast your pecans in the oven to help bring out more flavor in your nuts. I find that roasting your pecans for a few minutes in the oven is simple and brings a lot to the cake.
But, know you can skip it if you don't want to do the extra steps. Just make sure your nuts are chopped so you don't bite into huge chunks of the nuts.
What kind of frosting goes on Butter Pecan Cake?
So for this cake, I went ahead and made a buttery coconut pecan frosting. It is so delicious and it really amplifies the flavors of the cake. The coconut in the frosting is one of my favorite parts.
A cream cheese frosting would also work really nice on this cake.
Can I Make This Cake A Day in Advance?
Absolutely! If you are planning to make this cake for an event, go right ahead and make it a day in advance. Then store the cake in the fridge until you are ready to serve it up.
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Butter Pecan Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup butter room temperature* see notes
- 1 cup warm water ** see notes
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped pecans
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Pecans
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with raised sides with foil or parchment paper.
- Add the 3 cups of pecans for this recipe to the prepared baking sheet. Spread the pecans out.
- Place in the oven and toast for 5 to 10 minutes until the pecans are fragrant. Stir occassionally.
- Remove from the oven to cool. Leave the oven on and set to 350 degrees F.
Cake
- Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray.
- Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium until creamed.
- Beat in the warm water and eggs until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined.
- Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.
- Fold in the 2 cups of chopped pecans.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 22 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Once baked, allow to cool on the counter for 10 minutes while you make the frosting.
Frosting
- Add the coconut, butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and pecans to a large bowl. Beat together using a hand mixer on medium speed until combined.
- Spread the frosting evenly over top of the warm cake.
- Serve the cake warm with some vanilla ice cream or at room temperature!
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
