This butter pecan caramel cake ain’t one you can rush boos, but let me tell y’all where it pays off. It’s like my butter pecan cake and my real deal caramel cake had a baby. You get soft, butter pecan cake with toasted pecans baked right in, more pecans tucked between the layers, and my Aunt Beverly’s delish slow-cooked caramel icing running down the sides. If I’m making a cake for the holidays, this is the kind of cake I wanna spend my time on!!
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Butter Pecan Caramel Cake Ingredients
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup, level it off, and then sift it so you don’t pack extra flour into the batter.
- Wet ingredients: Vegetable oil, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, pure maple syrup, eggs, sour cream, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Let the butter soften and bring the eggs, sour cream, and milk to room temp so the batter mixes nice and smooth. You can also use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Toasted pecans: Chop some for the cake batter and leave the rest chunkier to sprinkle over the caramel between the layers. Smaller pieces in the batter make the layers easier to slice.
- Caramel icing: Salted butter, evaporated milk, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract. Grab evaporated milk with no added sugar. Sweetened condensed milk would change the sugar balance and how the icing cooks down.
- Garnish: Toasted pecans or candied pecan halves. To make candied pecans, toss the nuts in a simmering brown sugar syrup, spread them on parchment, and let them cool before decorating the cake.
How to Make Butter Pecan Caramel Cake
These step-by-step photos show how to make a caramel cake with pecans, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Butter Pecan Caramel Cake Recipe
1. Toast the pecans
Spread the pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly golden. Let them cool a bit before chopping them. Set aside the pecans you’ll sprinkle between the layers.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients
Whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
3. Beat the wet ingredients and add the eggs
Beat the oil, butter, sugar, and maple syrup until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, letting each one mix in before adding the next.
4. Finish the butter pecan cake batter
On low speed, mix in half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, milk, and vanilla. Mix in the rest of the flour just until combined, then fold in the toasted pecans for the batter.
5. Divide the batter among the pans
Spoon the batter into three greased 9-inch cake pans and smooth the tops so the layers bake evenly.
6. Bake and cool the cake layers
Bake until the tops are lightly golden and the edges just start to pull away. Let the layers cool briefly in their pans, then turn them out onto racks to cool completely.
PRO TIP: Stagger the pans across the two racks so they aren’t directly above each other. Halfway through baking, swap the pans from top to bottom. If the centers still look wet and jiggly, give them a few more minutes to set before moving the pans.
7. Cook the caramel icing low and slow
Melt the butter, evaporated milk, and sugar together over medium-low heat. Keep stirring as the mixture cooks down and starts to deepen in color.
8. Check the caramel and stir in the vanilla
Once the caramel is deep golden brown and thickly coats the back of a spoon, take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let it cool until it’s still warm but thick enough to spread.
PRO TIP: Sweep the spatula across the bottom and into the corners every time you stir. If the caramel starts bubbling hard, turn the heat down and keep stirring so the bottom doesn’t scorch.
9. Fill and stack the cake layers
Set the first layer on a dab of caramel icing to hold it in place. Spread a quarter of the icing to the edges, sprinkle on ½ cup of chopped toasted pecans, and let it firm up a bit. Add the second layer and repeat.
10. Finish the Butter Pecan Cake
Set the last layer on top and spread the remaining caramel icing over the top and down the sides. While the icing is still soft, sprinkle toasted or candied pecans around the top edge, or press candied pecan halves around the base. Let the icing set before slicing.
Full Butter Pecan Caramel Cake Recipe
Butter Pecan Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups sour cream room temperature
- 1/3 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup toasted pecans chopped
For the Filling
- 1 ½ cups toasted pecans roughly chopped instead of halves
For the Caramel
- 3/4 cup salted butter
- 24 oz evaporated milk
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Toasted or candied pecans for garnishing
Instructions
For the Pecans
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread the pecans onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly golden. Let them cool slightly, then roughly chop into small pieces. Set aside.
For the Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Set racks in top and bottom third positions. Prep 3 9-inch cake pans by spraying liberally with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a bowl of stand mixer, add oil, butter, sugar, and maple syrup and mix for 2 minutes on high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and combine until well combined.
- Reduce the mixer to low speed. Add half of the flour mixture, followed by the sour cream, milk and vanilla. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until combined. Fold in the toasted pecans. Do not overmix.
- Bake until cakes start to pull away from the edges and are a very light brown on top, about 25 minutes. Rotate cakes from top to bottom racks halfway through baking.
- Remove cakes from the oven and cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn cakes out of pans and finish cooling on wire racks, about 25 minutes.
For the Caramel
- Add butter, evaporated milk, and sugar to the saucepan over medium low heat until everything has melted together.
- Leave over medium low heat stirring consistently for about 1 1/2- 2 hours (watch the entire time to make sure it does not burn) until thickened and caramel has darkened to a beautiful golden brown. Note: if it is taking a while, you can turn up the heat a little more to speed up the thickening process but you MUST WATCH CAREFULLY AND STIR FREQUENTLY.
- Make sure that the caramel turns the color of the photo below before stopping the heat. It should thicken to the texture in this video as well.
- It should also thickly coat the back of a spoon to ensure thickness.
- Be careful to watch, adjusting heat temperature to not let it burn.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Cool for about 15-20 minutes to allow it to thicken before icing the cake. If you see that it is too warm and still not completely thick enough, cool it in the refrigerator and get it thick!
To Assemble
- Make sure the cake layers have cooled down completely. Add a small dollop of icing to the center of your cake plate or stand, then place the first layer on top. This will help it stay in place.
- Using an offset spatula, spread 1/4 of the caramel icing over the first layer, spreading to the edges. Sprinkle ½ cup of the toasted pecans on top. Let it set for about 5 minutes so it can firm up just a bit.
- Then carefully add the next layer and center it directly over the first layer. Repeat, adding another 1/4 cup of the icing and spreading it over, followed by ½ cup of the toasted pecans. Set for another 5 minutes.
- Finally, repeat with the final layer of the cake, adding it right on top. Spread the remaining caramel cake icing over the top and around the sides of the cake. To garnish, gently press candied pecan halves around the bottom half of the cake or sprinkle a few over the top while the icing is still soft. Let it set for about 30 minutes, then get ready to serve it up!
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Store the cake in a covered cake carrier or airtight container for up to 3 days. Let slices sit at room temp for about 30 minutes before serving so the caramel icing softens a bit.
- Freezer: Wrap unfrosted cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then let the layers come to room temp before assembling.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Grab a light-colored saucepan. A stainless steel pan makes it easier to see the caramel turn golden brown, especially toward the end.
- Trim any domed tops. Once the cake layers are cool, use a serrated knife to level them so they sit flat when you stack them.
- Set everything out before you stack. Have the cooled layers, chopped pecans, and offset spatula ready while the caramel is still warm and easy to spread.
- Keep your cake stand clean. Tuck strips of parchment just under the edges of the first layer to catch drips. Gently pull them out before the caramel sets.
Recipe Help
Pans on different racks can finish at different times. Check each layer with a toothpick. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, pull that pan and give the others more time if they need it.
If your caramel coated the back of a spoon while it was on the stove, let it cool a little longer before you ice the cake. Caramel that runs right off the spoon needs to simmer a bit longer. If your icing is too thick, warm it over low heat and stir it. Add warm milk a teaspoon at a time until easy to spread.
Nope boos. Once it tastes burnt, you gotta start over. Use a clean pan, keep the next batch at a gentle simmer, and stir all the way across the bottom.
Yep! Bake the layers a day ahead, let them cool completely, and wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. Keep them at room temp overnight. Make the caramel the day you stack the cake so it’s still warm and easy to spread.
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