This pecan pie cake is a layered spice cake full of pecan pie filling. The cake is topped with brown butter frosting and topped with extra pecan pie filling.
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This Pecan Pie Cake is a fun twist on pecan pie. Pecan pie is a favorite pie for Thanksgiving dinner for a lot of people. I thought, what better way to improve on this favorite dessert than to put it in cake form!
When I wrote this pecan pie recipe I knew it would be good, but the end result an even more delicious cake than I expected. I promise you will love it.
Another reason I know you will love this cake is the frosting! I made the frosting using Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening! I love using their shortening in frosting because it makes it really fluffy.
For more layered cake recipes try, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, Twix Cake, and Black Velvet Cake.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Pecan Pie filling- This cake has actual pecan pie filling in it, so you get the full flavors.
- Layered cake- Combining the pecan pie with a moist cake gives you all of the texture and fun of cake layers. It is a huge upgrade from pie crust.
- Brown butter frosting- The brown butter frosting is SO good. Brown butter gives a richer flavor than regular frosting.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Brown Sugar- I used light brown sugar. Dark will work just fine for this recipe as well.
- Eggs- Pull these out 2 hours ahead of time to get to room temperature.
- Sour Cream- Pull this out 2 hours ahead of time to get to room temperature.
- Buttermilk- Pull this out 2 hours ahead of time to get to room temperature.
- Brown Butter- Instructions to make this are in the recipe. You will just start with 1 cup of unsalted butter.
- Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening- You need 1 cup of their shortening. I use the sticks.
Step By Step Instructions- Cake
Here is how to make and bake this pecan pie cake.
For the cake layers, you need an electric mixer, either a stand mixer or hand mixer.
STEP 1: Mix the dry ingredients. First, sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, pumpkin pie spice, ground nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
STEP 2: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on high speed for 3 minutes. Then add in the vanilla and sour cream to the mixing bowl. Mix this in on medium speed until combined. Add the eggs and continue mixing until combined as well.
STEP 3: Mix the batter. Add in only ⅓ of the dry ingredients the first time and mix on low speed. Next add half of the buttermilk and mix. Alternate flour mixture and buttermilk until it is all mixed in.
STEP 4: Pour. Pour half of the cake batter into each of the 2 prepared pans. Try to divide batter as evenly as possible.
STEP 5: Bake cake. Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them.
Cool the cakes on wire racks completely before decorating.
Step By Step Instructions- Filling and Frosting
Here are the steps to make the pecan pie filling and the brown butter frosting. For the frosting, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
Besides the filling, the frosting is the best part of the cake! Crisco is usually used to make a flaky pie crust, but it also goes so well in frosting.
It makes the frosting really white, and it makes it super fluffy and creamy too.
STEP 1: Melt butter for filling. Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in the chopped pecans and let it all cook for 30 seconds.
STEP 2: Cook the filling. Add in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the melted butter. Let it start to bubble. Then, let it cook for 1 minute. Take it off the heat and let it cool completely before using it.
STEP 3: Brown the butter for frosting. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Continue to heat and stir until the milk solids separate and turn amber in color. Pour it into a bowl.
STEP 4: Cool butter and sift sugar. Put the brown butter into the freezer to cool. Stir it every 10 minutes. Once it is the consistency of pudding pull it out.
While the butter cools, sift your powdered sugar
STEP 5: Mix the frosting. Beat the shortening and browned butter on high speed for 3 minutes. Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix it on low until combined. Then, mix in the rest of the powdered sugar.
Add in the vanilla and salt and turn it up to high speed until your frosting is fluffy.
Assembling the Cake Tips
- Items that will be helpful in cake decoration: turntable, icing offset spatula, straight icing spatula, cake scraper, cake leveler (or a bread knife), and a cake carrier.
- Cut the cake domes off of the chocolate cake layers by using a serrated knife. It needs to be as flat as possible.
- Place the bottom layer down and spread ¾ cup of frosting on top of the cake layer. Pipe a border of frosting around the top edge of the cake.
- Spread 1 cup of the pecan pie filling on top of the first layer.
- Place the second layer of the cake on top with the bottom of the cake facing up to get the flattest top layer possible.
- Frost the cake in a light layer of frosting, then freeze it for 15 minutes to lock in the crumbs.
- Frost the cake the rest of the way and freeze it for 10 more minutes to set it.
- Put the pecan pie filling on top of cake.
FAQ
Yes it can! Halve the layer cake recipe to make 12 cupcakes. Bake in a muffin tin for 18-20 minutes. you can cut holes in the top of the cupcakes and place the filing inside before replacing the tops.
You can also use two 9-inch cake pans, four 6-inch cake pans, or a 9X13-inch cake pan (half the frosting recipe for that one). Half the recipe to make three 6-inch cake pans, 8X8-inch square pan or 9X9-inch square pan.
Yes it can! Once the cake layers are done cooling, plastic tightly in plastic wrap. Then, freeze up to 30 days. Pull it out 1 hour before decorating.
Storing and Freezing
Store this pecan pie cake in an airtight container like a cake carrier. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 5 days.
Freezing
You can freeze the pecan pie cake in individual cake slices. Place in an airtight container and freeze up to 30 days.
Other Thanksgiving Recipes To Try
Make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Pecan Pie Cake
Ingredients
Spice Cake
- 3 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 cup Unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- ¼ cup White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 4 Large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup Sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup Buttermilk room temperature
Pecan Pie Filling
- ½ cup Unsalted butter
- 1 cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 2 cups Chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Brown Butter Frosting
- 1 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
- 1 cup Brown butter
- 2 ½ cups Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Spice Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch cake pans with baking nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pans with 8-inch parchment paper circles and spray again.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Add the salt. Set aside.3 ½ cups All-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon Baking powder, 1 teaspoon Baking soda, 1 teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon Ground ginger, 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice, ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- Using a mixer in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and sugar on high speed for 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla and sour cream and mix on medium until combined.1 cup Unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cup Brown sugar, ¼ cup White granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, ½ cup Sour cream
- Add in the eggs and mix on medium until combined. Then, alternate between the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Add ⅓rd of the dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk at a time. Mix on a low speed.4 Large eggs, 1 cup Buttermilk
- Pour the cake batter evenly through the two cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cakes sit in the hot pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
Pecan Pie Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and the brown sugar together. Add in the chopped pecans and let it cook for 30 seconds.½ cup Unsalted butter, 1 cup Brown sugar, 2 cups Chopped pecans
- Add in the heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Let it bubble and then, let it cook for 1 minute.1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, ½ cup Heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Take off the heat and let it cool completely.
Brown Butter Frosting
- In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Heat and stir the butter until the milk solids separate and turns in amber in color.1 cup Brown butter
- Pour the browned butter in a small bowl, and place in the freezer and stir every 10 minutes. It should be like pudding consistency, then pull it out. While you wait, sift the powdered sugar in a large bowl.
- Using a mixer, beat the shortening and browned butter on high speed for 3 minutes. Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Then, add in the rest of the powdered sugar.1 cup Crisco vegetable shortening, 2 ½ cups Powdered sugar
- Add in the vanilla and salt and beat on high speed until fluffy.1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon Salt
Assembly
- Cut the domes off the tops of the cake using a cake leveler or a serrated knife.
- Place the 1st cake layer down and spread ¾ cup of frosting over the cake. Pipe a border of frosting over the edge of the cake. Spread 1 cup of pecan pie filling over the cake.
- Place the second cake layer with the bottom of the cake facing up. Frost the cake in a light layer of frosting. Freeze for 15 minutes.
- Frost the cake and freeze for 10 minutes. Top the cake with the rest of the pecan pie filling.
Bella says
This is so much better than traditional pecan pie. Pecan pie is delicious, but putting it in a cake form worked amazing. It is so good.