Butter Pecan Pound Cake
Published Dec 18, 2024
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This rich and indulgent Butter Pecan Pound Cake is the perfect sweet treat to make and enjoy this holiday season! The melt-in-the-mouth deliciousness of the cake perfectly complements the rich and creamy frosting and the crunch from the pecans, creating a riot of textures and flavors.
It’s like a party in your mouth really!
I love experimenting with sweet treats and desserts, especially around the holidays. I recently shared a Pear Almond Cake, which was a huge hit!
The success of my Vanilla Pound Cake and Southern Lemon Pound Cake Recipe inspired me to try another pound cake, keeping it holiday-themed. So I tapped into my latest love for butter pecan flavor (see my Brown Butter Pecan Cookies) and made an easy cake with buttery flavor and a rich cream cheese frosting.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Butter Pecan Cake
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Butter Pecan Pound Cake
- 1: Cream butter and sugar.
- 2: Add eggs and vanilla.
- 3: Add dry ingredients.
- 4. Finish and prep for baking.
- 5. Bake and cool.
- 6. Make cream cheese frosting.
- 7. Frost and garnish.
- Tips to Make the Best Butter Pecan Pound Cake
- What Goes with Butter Pecan Pound Cake?
- Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- More Easy Moist Cake Recipes To Try
- Butter Pecan Pound Cake Recipe
Why You’ll Love Butter Pecan Cake
- It’s one of the easiest holiday dessert recipes out there! You’ll need just around 20 minutes in the kitchen to whip up this decadent cake that everyone will enjoy!
- It’s perfect for parties and potlucks. The simplicity and versatility of this cake are what make it a total crowd-pleaser.
- It’s customizable too! You can add in some other mix-ins and ingredients to tweak the recipe to your liking.
Ingredients Needed
Dry ingredients: You’ll need just a few pantry staples- all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Wet ingredients: To add moisture and richness to the pound cake, you’ll need eggs, butter, some milk and a dash of vanilla for the flavor. I love using my Homemade Vanilla Extract.
Pecan nuts: These are the hero ingredients, so make sure you choose the best quality pecan nuts you can find. You’ll need these to add into the pound cake and also for the topping!
Cream cheese frosting: To make the frosting, you’ll need cream cheese, a bit of butter, sugar, some vanilla extract and milk.
Substitutions & Variations
- To lend a bit of extra caramel-like flavor to the cake, swap the granulated sugar in the recipe with light brown or dark brown sugar. This might have a slight impact on the color of the cake, but I think it ends up looking beautiful!
- To make a gluten free version of the recipe, swap the all purpose flour for a gluten free flour of your choice. Look for xanthan gum on the package- it is an absolute must when you’re choosing a gluten free flour for baking, and want the same results as regular flour.
- You can also try different variations of the recipe by swapping some ingredients and mix-ins. Walnuts or macadamia nuts can be great alternatives to pecans, and if you don’t want to use vanilla extract, opt for almond extract or coconut extract. In fact, you can also add a dash of nutmeg to it to add a bit of spice to the cake.
How to Make Butter Pecan Pound Cake
To make the pecan pound cake, start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F, and greasing and flouring a Bundt pan.
1: Cream butter and sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy
2: Add eggs and vanilla.
Gradually mix in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
3: Add dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Now sift the flour mixture gradually into the butter-egg mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, until the batter is smooth and well combined.
4. Finish and prep for baking.
Fold in the chopped pecan nuts, then pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
5. Bake and cool.
Bake for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make cream cheese frosting.
Now prepare the cream cheese frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth, using a hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth.
7. Frost and garnish.
Once the cake is cooled, frost the top with the prepared frosting and garnish with additional pecan nuts.
Tips to Make the Best Butter Pecan Pound Cake
- To get the perfect texture, use melted butter for the recipe. Once it has melted, allow it to cool down and then use it.
- Use softened cream cheese to make the frosting. Cold cream cheese may not have the same uniform texture you’re looking for.
- To add some crunchiness to the pecans, toast them lightly in a pan for a few minutes, allow them to cool down and then use the toasted pecans for the recipe.
- Avoid overmixing the cake batter once you add in the flour. This will actually cause the cake to become dense and lose its fluffy texture.
Make sure you choose fresh baking powder for this recipe. Leavening agents start to lose their strength after 6 months, and using an old leavening agent will not work in helping the cake rise.
What Goes with Butter Pecan Pound Cake?
Enjoy a slice of this pecan butter pound cake on its own, or feature it on your holiday dinner table. Here are a few interesting serving ideas to get you inspired.
- Start with a beautiful Herb Roasted Duck or Baked Dry Rub Ribs along with a side of Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Challah Dinner Rolls.
- If you’re making this for a little party you’re hosting, team it up with some other appetizers and snacks like Sweet and Salty Charcuterie Board or Baked Brie and Preserves or some meaty ones like Chicken Drumstick Lollipops or African Style Fish Balls.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
You can store your leftover pound cake in the refrigerator for up to a week. Make sure you store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Use the toothpick method to check for the doneness of the cake. You can also use a kitchen thermometer to check its internal temperature. If it reads 200 degrees, the cake is cooked.
Using the right amount of flour and a good leavening agent is crucial to get the perfect texture and softness. Make sure you use a kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients, particularly the flour.
More Easy Moist Cake Recipes To Try
- Pear Almond Cake
- Vanilla Pound Cake
- Plain Cake Recipe
- Southern Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
- Salted Caramel Cake
- Red Velvet Cake Recipe Without Buttermilk
- Old Fashioned Carrot Cake
If you make this Butter Pecan Pound Cake recipe please leave a star rating below. Your rating helps others find the recipe plus I love hearing from you! Thank you!
Butter Pecan Pound Cake
Ingredients
Pound Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 250 g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
- 5 medium eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250 g
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- ¼ cup milk 60 ml
- 1 cup pecan nuts chopped
Frosting:
- 2 oz cream cheese softened, from a block
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Whole toasted pecan nuts for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Gradually mix in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Now sift the flour mixture gradually into the butter-egg mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Fold in the chopped pecan nuts, then pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- No prepare the cream cheese frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth, using a hand mixer.
- Add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth.
- Once the cake is cooled, frost the top with the prepared frosting and garnish with additional pecan nuts.
Notes
- To get the perfect texture, make sure you use melted butter for the recipe. Once it has melted, allow it to cool down and then use it.
- Use softened cream cheese to make the frosting. Cold cream cheese may not have the same uniform texture you’re looking for.
- To add an extra bit of crunchiness to the pecans, toast them lightly in a pan for a few minutes, allow them to cool down and then use them for the recipe.
- Avoid overmixing the cake batter once you add in the flour. This will actually cause the cake to become dense and lose its fluffy texture.
