Butter Pecan Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Slice of butter pecan layer cake on a white plate with more cake in the background

5 from 19 votes

Butter Pecan Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

This Butter Pecan Cake has three delicious layers with pecans baked right in the batter and is topped with a maple cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Cooling Time1

Total Time1 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 858kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Pecan Cake

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 maple syrup
3 large eggs
1 ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
1/3 cup whole milk room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans toasted

For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese softened, but still slightly firm
½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup chopped pecans toasted, for garnish

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat 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 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 speed and add dry ingredients in two additions. Add sour cream, milk, vanilla and pecans and continue on low speed until just mixed. 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 oven and cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn cakes out of pans and finish cooling on wire racks, about 25 minutes.

For the Frosting

In bowl of stand mixer, place cream cheese and butter, and mix on high speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Reduce speed to low and add confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and salt. Once the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to high until smooth and thickened.
Chill in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, until stiffened. Spread between layers and garnish with chopped pecans. Serve it up and enjoy!

Notes

Tips For Making The Best Butter Pecan Cake

Room Temperature Ingredients: Be sure to bring your eggs, butter, sour cream, and milk to room temperature before starting. It makes sure everything blends smoothly and reacts properly when baking, giving you a consistent texture.

Toast Then Chop: Toasting pecans deepens their flavor, making them stand out in the cake. If you don't know how to toast them, simply spread them on a baking sheet, toast them for about 6-8 minutes at 350F until they're fragrant, and then let them cool before you chop. This way, they'll be extra crunchy and packed with flavor when mixed into the batter!

Just Enough Mixing: When combining wet and dry ingredients, stop as soon as you see no more flour streaks. Mixing the batter just right ensures a delicate crumb. Overmixing can activate the gluten too much and give you a cake with the toughness of a bread loaf.

Frost Like a Pro: When you're ready to frost your butter pecan cake with the cream cheese frosting, slap a dollop of frosting on the cake stand before placing the first layer. It anchors your cake in place so it doesn't slide around. And when applying frosting to the layers, start from the top and work your way down the sides. This way, you'll get a crumb-free finish and a magazine-worthy look!

Thick Frosting Trick: For the frosting to spread without dripping, it should be stiff yet spreadable. After mixing, if it seems thin, chilling it in the fridge can save the day. You're looking for a consistency that's easy to work with and holds its shape.

Nutrition