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Hi Bold Bakers!
Pound cake is a staple every baker should know how to make — and the best part about making a pound cake is playing around with flavors. This butter pecan pound cake is a real winner. It’s comfort food in a loaf pan. I love it so much that I have 6 other recipes for it: Chocolate Pound Cake, Lemon Pound Cake, Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Sour Cream Pound Cake, Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake, and of course, Vanilla Pound Cake With Loads Of Sprinkles! So when it comes to pound cake, I know a thing or six (now seven!).
This pound cake works so well because you really get to play around with flavors and textures. The cake itself is a soft, moist, buttery pound cake, studded with toasty, crunchy, aromatic pecans, then covered with a sweet maple glaze. It seems simple, and it is, but sometimes simple is exactly what you need.
If you’re from the south of the US, you probably are already familiar with how amazing a good butter pecan pound cake can be. Most of the world’s pecans grow native down south and they’re a staple in good Southern baking.
What Is Butter Pecan Pound Cake
I’m all about showing people how easy, fun, and delicious baking can be. This pound cake? All three. We amp up the flavor and texture with this pound cake by adding pecans into the mix, keeping every bite interesting. It’s a lovely loaf to serve with tea in the afternoon, but I don’t mind grabbing a slice for breakfast either.
What You Need To Make Butter Pecan Pound Cake
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 9×5-inch (12½x23cm) loaf pan
- Mixing bowls or the bowl of a stand mixer
- Saucepan
How To Make Butter Pecan Pound Cake
This cake comes together in a flash — and will likely be gone just as quickly. Here is how you make homemade butter pecan pound cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a 9×5-inch (12½x23cm) loaf pan by buttering and flouring it.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together until it becomes fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and beat until fully mixed.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Then, add it to the butter mixture in three increments.
- Once the batter is evenly combined, fold in the pecans. Then, spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes until a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake is cooled, make the glaze. Cook the butter, brown sugar, water, and maple syrup over medium heat until the butter and brown sugar melt in a saucepan.
- Remove the glaze from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. If it seems too thick, add a few drops of water at a time until you get the consistency you want. If it is too thin, add in more powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Drizzle the warm glaze on top of the cake. Let it set before slicing.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Butter Pecan Pound Cake
- As (almost) always, make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature for the most even mixing.
- Freshly toasted pecans give the best flavor, so toast them before you add them to your batter! Spread the raw pecans on a baking sheet and place in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 10-12 minutes, until browned and fragrant.
- Good butter makes a big difference in this recipe – I always use my favorite Irish butter, but any high-quality or cultured butter would work.
- If the top of your cake is over-browning before the center is cooked, cover the top with aluminum foil.
- For a larger crowd, double this recipe and cook it in a bundt pan. The baking time will need to be adjusted.
How Do I Store Butter Pecan Pound Cake?
You can store leftover butter pecan pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Make More Pound Cake!
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Try These Recipes!
Butter Pecan Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pecan Cake:
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups (7½oz/213g) dark brown sugar
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (8¾oz/207g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (7½oz/213g) pecans (toasted and chopped)
For the Maple Glaze:
- 6 tablespoons (3oz/85g) butter (at room temperature)
- ½ cup (3oz/85g) dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ¾ cup (3oz/85g) powdered sugar (sifted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter and flour a 9x5-inch (12½x23cm) loaf pan. Set aside.
- To make the pound cake: In a large bowl or mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes, until fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and then add the vanilla extract and beat until fully mixed.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then add to the butter mixture in three increments.
- Once the batter is evenly combined, fold in the pecans and spread into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a wood skewer inserted into the center, comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake is cooled, make the glaze: cook the butter, brown sugar, water, and maple syrup over medium heat until the butter and brown sugar melt.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. If the glaze seems too thick, add water a few drops at a time until you get the consistency you want. If it seems too thin, add powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired thickness is reached.
- Drizzle the warm glaze on top of the cake and let set before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Hi Gemma, I can’t wait to make. This for my family. Do you know anything I can substitute the maple in the glaze for? Or a different glaze?
A very yummy recipe. I made it , gluten free for me, very very tasty
Hi Gemma. Can I put walnuts instead of pecans
Super easy and absolutely Devine! Surprisingly not too sweet either!
Hi Gemma I was looking for butter cake recipe for my evening tea breaks. Does this taste similar ? Just the extra is the nuts? Pls advice. Also may I half the recipe ? Advise of bake time/temperature as well. Really appreciate.
If I bake it in two smaller pans (3 3/4 x 7 1/2), do you know what the estimated baking time would be?
Pecan Caramel Delight 4.5 * This is an easy recipe to make. The prep time is more like 25mins as the extra 10mins extra goes towards the glaze topping. Re: glaze – if you want it like Gemma’s picture then you need to let it set more. I poured mine after 5mins as I thought I would christen my bunt tin. (Cooked in 45mins as less dense the pound tin) I wanted my glaze to totally cover, which it did but next time would leave it 10 mins as lots of the icing ran into the cooling. Tray. TOTALLY delicious… Read more »
Hi, can I try this in a normal cake pan.. wat can i Substitute for pecans and egg here? And do you think I can microbake this recipe? Because I feel my oven temperature is uneven.. everytime the top gets done fast n by the time the insides get cooked fully for a skewer to come out clean, my crust, n side become extremely dry and chewy.. any suggestions please?(-:
Hi Gemma. I’m planning to make a cake for my grandmother this week. She’s turning seventy and I want it to be memorable for her. She says her favourite type of cake is with lots and lots of nuts. Lol. I’m not able to think of what to make? Preferably a simple cake without frosting… I’ve only thought of carrot cake or a simple vanilla cake that I can put nuts in. Would love to hear what you recommend. Lots of nuts pls!!
Will the cake still come out right if I substitute the eggs with applesauce?