table of content
Table of Contents
The Story & Intro
A cake born in my cozy kitchen
I still remember the first time I baked a butter pecan cake recipe. It was a chilly October morning in North Carolina, and my daughter had just asked for something “nutty and sweet” for her birthday. With no recipe, just a vision and my trusty hand mixer, I browned some butter, toasted pecans, and took a chance. What came out of that oven was magic—a moist, buttery cake with caramelized notes, crunchy pecan bursts, and the kind of richness that made everyone ask for seconds. That moment sparked the start of something special. This butter pecan cake recipe has since become one of my most requested wedding flavors, and it never fails to impress. It’s cozy, Southern, and deeply nostalgic.
Why butter pecan cake recipe is the ultimate comfort flavor
Butter pecan has a way of tasting like home. The nutty depth of roasted pecans, blended into silky browned butter and wrapped in a not-too-sweet brown sugar frosting, makes every bite feel like a warm hug. It’s not just about sweetness—it’s the texture, the toastiness, and the balance. Unlike plain vanilla or overly sugary cakes, this butter pecan cake recipe celebrates richness without going overboard. Plus, with a reverse creaming method and simple pantry ingredients, you don’t need to be a professional to pull it off. It’s the perfect dessert for birthdays, Thanksgiving, or anytime you want something that feels like a warm memory.
Inside the Best Butter Pecan Cake Recipe
Why browned butter changes everything
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Butter Pecan Cake Recipe with Brown Sugar Frosting You’ll Love
This butter pecan cake is ultra-moist and packed with nutty, buttery flavor. Made with browned butter and a rich brown sugar cream cheese frosting, it’s the perfect Southern-style dessert for holidays or special celebrations.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
Cake:
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
3 cups (333 g) cake flour
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (354 ml) buttermilk, room temperature preferred
2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (160 g) pecan halves, very finely chopped
Icing:
1 ½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup (66 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ½ cups (562 g) powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
⅓ cup (35 g) pecan halves, very finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
1. Place butter in a medium-sized pan and cook over medium/low heat until melted. Increase heat and stir frequently until golden brown flecks form. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment.
3. In a large bowl, whisk cake flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add cooled browned butter to dry mix and stir on low speed until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
6. Slowly pour wet ingredients into dry mixture, mixing until just combined. Scrape sides and bottom.
7. Stir in finely chopped pecans.
8. Divide batter evenly into pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
9. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
10. To make frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
11. Gradually add powdered sugar, scraping the bowl. Add heavy cream and beat on high speed for 30 seconds.
12. Level cake layers if needed. Stack with frosting between each layer.
13. Frost the outside lightly, chill for 20 minutes, then apply final coat. Decorate with pecan sprinkles and swirls.
Notes
Measure pecans before chopping. Use a food processor for finely chopped texture, but avoid over-processing.
Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for best results.
Cake can be stored at room temp for 2 days, or refrigerated for up to a week.
This cake freezes well—wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 975
- Sugar: 87g
- Sodium: 415mg
- Fat: 57g
- Saturated Fat: 29g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23g
- Trans Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 113g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 148mg
The secret to this Butter Pecan Cake Recipe isn’t just in the pecans—it’s the browned butter. Unlike plain melted butter, browned butter has rich, nutty undertones that give the cake a caramel depth you can’t fake. The process is simple: you melt the butter over medium-low heat, stirring as it foams, crackles, and turns golden with flecks of brown at the bottom. Those tiny bits? Flavor gold. They infuse every bite with a toasty, almost maple-like richness. That’s what sets this cake apart. It’s subtle but unforgettable.
For home bakers used to basic vanilla or yellow cake bases, this upgrade instantly elevates your layers. And the best part? You don’t need any fancy tools to make it happen—just a little time and a watchful eye. Even better, browning butter is one of those “level-up” tricks that works in cookies, pancakes, and frostings too. I always recommend this trick to readers over at my chocolate cake collection, and it never fails.
Pecans: the crunch, the toast, the soul
Pecans aren’t just a topping here—they’re part of the cake’s foundation. In this recipe, we use finely chopped pecans that blend into the batter for texture without overpowering the crumb. You can toast them for deeper flavor, but honestly, with browned butter already doing the heavy lifting, it’s optional.
Still, the magic happens when you bite into soft, moist cake and get that nutty little crunch. It’s the same feeling you get biting into our pecan pie bars—that contrast of chewy and crisp. For an extra layer of flavor, some bakers add a dash of cinnamon or a hint of maple extract, but this base recipe stands tall on its own.
The combination of browned butter and pecans isn’t just good—it’s a celebration of Southern comfort. And it’s the kind of thing that turns a simple dessert into a signature one.
Brown sugar frosting: sweet, creamy, and never too much
Every great butter pecan cake recipe deserves a frosting that enhances, not overwhelms—and that’s where brown sugar frosting shines. Creamy, slightly tangy thanks to cream cheese, and just sweet enough, it’s the perfect match for the rich cake layers. Unlike heavy buttercreams, this frosting has dimension. The brown sugar adds warmth and molasses-like depth, balancing out the toasted nuttiness of the pecans.
Here’s the winning blend: softened butter, rich cream cheese, light brown sugar, sifted powdered sugar, a dash of vanilla extract, and a hint of heavy cream. Whip it all together until it’s light and silky. Spread generously between the cake layers, then smooth along the sides with a spatula or piping bag. For a decorative finish, pipe swirls along the top and sprinkle with extra pecans, just like I do in my Italian Cream Cake recipe.
This frosting isn’t just for looks. It locks in moisture, adds richness, and gives the whole dessert that “from a bakery” polish. Plus, it’s stable enough for layering, making it ideal for special occasions or even wedding cakes that need to impress.
How to nail a fluffy, moist crumb every time
Texture matters just as much as flavor. The best butter pecan cake has a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that stays soft for days. So how do you get that bakery-soft finish at home? Use cake flour instead of all-purpose—it makes all the difference. It’s finer, lower in protein, and leads to a lighter texture. Combine that with buttermilk, which tenderizes the batter and gives it a slight tang, and you’ve got a cake that’s anything but dense.
The reverse creaming method also plays a role. Instead of creaming butter and sugar first, you start by mixing your dry ingredients, then add the browned butter. This coats the flour in fat before liquid hits it, helping to reduce gluten formation—and that means less toughness, more softness.
Don’t forget your eggs and vanilla. Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly, and good vanilla extract enhances every other flavor. That soft, fragrant cake? It’s not an accident—it’s balance, technique, and love in every layer.
Serving Suggestions
Bake, Stack, and Style Your Butter Pecan Cake Recipe Like a Pro
Preparing and baking your layers to perfection
Once your batter is ready to go, get your cake pans prepped. Grab three 8-inch round pans, coat them with baking spray or butter, and line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy release. If you only have one or two pans, that’s totally fine—bake in stages, letting each pan cool before reusing it. That way, your layers stay even and don’t stick.
Fill each pan about two-thirds full so the batter has room to rise without spilling over. Bake at 350°F for 28–32 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 15 minutes before gently turning them out onto wire racks to finish cooling. It might be tempting to rush, but frosting a warm cake is a recipe for sliding layers and melted icing.
This method works beautifully for all types of celebration cakes—just like I teach in my almond raspberry layer cake post. Once you’ve nailed it, you’ll be layering with confidence.
Assembling and decorating your showpiece
Once your cake layers are completely cool, you’re ready to build. If the tops are domed, slice them flat so everything stacks evenly. Place your first layer on a cake board or stand, spread on a thick layer of the brown sugar frosting, then add the next layer. Repeat until all three are stacked. To keep crumbs from mixing into your final coat, start with a thin base layer of frosting—known as the crumb coat—then chill the cake for 20 minutes to set.
Once chilled, cover the entire cake with a smooth, generous final coat of frosting. For a decorative finish, pipe swirls on top and sprinkle chopped pecans right over them. I like using a wide star tip for bold swirls, but even a spoon can give you beautiful results. Want to dress it up even more? Press crushed pecans into the sides or drizzle with a bit of caramel for that bakery-style elegance. No matter how you style it, this cake always turns heads.
How to store it right (and enjoy every bite)
Once your Butter Pecan Cake Recipe is frosted and decorated, you’ll want to keep it fresh as long as possible. If you plan to serve the cake within two days, keep it in an airtight container or covered cake dome at room temperature, stored in a cool, dry place away from direct light.
away from sunlight. For longer storage, move it to the fridge where it stays moist for up to a week.
Before serving from the fridge, let it come to room temperature for 30–45 minutes to soften the butter and frosting. This helps bring out all the rich, nutty flavors. If you’ve got leftovers, individual slices freeze beautifully. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to two months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to enjoy again.
These storage tips also apply to other celebration cakes like the vanilla bean cake and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, so bookmark them for future baking days.
Flavor twists and variations you’ll want to try
One of the best things about this butter pecan cake recipe is how flexible it is. Want to lean into fall flavors? Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients. Craving something extra cozy? Swirl in a little maple extract or a splash of bourbon with the vanilla.
You can even bake this butter pecan cake recipe as cupcakes or in a 9×13-inch pan—just adjust the baking time. Cupcakes take about 18–22 minutes, while a sheet cake might need 35–40 minutes. For an elegant touch, layer the top with caramel drizzle or candied pecans. And if you’re baking for a special event, tint the frosting slightly or use edible gold flakes to match a theme.
Whatever direction you take, this recipe is a solid base. It invites creativity, celebrates homemade warmth, and brings flavor that feels both classic and unexpected. That’s why it’s a favorite in my lineup of crowd-pleasing cakes.py baking!
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FAQ: Butter Pecan Cake Recipe Questions Answered
What is the best flavor frosting for butter pecan cake recipe?
Butter pecan pairs beautifully with warm flavors like caramel, maple, cinnamon, and brown butter. For a fruity contrast, try pairing it with baked apples, figs, or even a light citrus glaze.
Is butter pecan just vanilla with pecans?
Not quite. While butter pecan cake recipe shares a vanilla base, it goes further with browned butter, toasted nuts, and sometimes brown sugar or caramel for depth. It’s more complex and offers a much richer, nutty experience than simple vanilla cake.
What’s the difference between Butter Pecan Cake recipe and Pecan Pie?
Butter Pecan Cake is soft, fluffy, and richly buttery, while Pecan Pie is gooey, caramelized, and features a crunchy pecan topping.
Can I make this cake in advance?
Absolutely! Bake the cake layers a day ahead and store them wrapped in plastic until you’re ready to frost and serve.
This butter pecan cake recipe is more than just dessert—it’s a celebration of rich flavor, warm memories, and homemade love. With nutty toasted pecans, velvety brown sugar frosting, and a buttery soft crumb, it’s the kind of cake that turns ordinary moments into unforgettable ones.
Whether you’re baking for a birthday, a fall gathering, or just because, this cake never fails to impress. It’s simple enough for beginners but elegant enough for weddings and special events. Now it’s your turn—gather your ingredients, brown that butter, and bring a little Southern charm to your kitchen.