Brown Butter Pecan Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

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This Brown Butter Pecan Cake Recipe is like no other cake you have had. This vanilla cake is a rich buttery 3 layer cake that has pecans in the batter and is topped with a cinnamon frosting with more pecans.

I love baking with pecans. If you love pecans too, you will love Salted Caramel Bars with Pecans.

brown butter pecan cake on a white plate

Brown Butter Pecan Cake Recipe

Most layer cakes have the same thing in common. It is a 3 layer cake that has a deliciously creamy frosting between the layers. They can be many flavors but they are all delicious. This brown butter pecan cake recipe take a traditional layer cake to a whole new layer. This cake is had a fantastic buttery vanilla cake with the best cinnamon flavor icing ever. Then the added pecans make this a delectable cake.

Do I Have to Make this Brown Butter Cake a Layer Cake?

While this recipe is written as a layer cake, sometimes, you just don’t want to make a layer cake. You can make this in an 8*13 cake pan. Then take the frosting and add a thick layer of frosting over the top. Once you add the layer of frosting, use the pecans to sprinkle over the top of the cake. You can still add the pretty dollops along the edges of the cake.

brown butter pecan cake

Can I use Walnuts in this Butter Pecan Cake

I love pecans, but sometimes I want this cake and I do not have pecans on hand. Pecans and walnuts are easily interchangeable. Their flavors and textures are similar.

slice of brown butter pecan cake on a white plate

Ingredients

  • Pecans
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Kosher salt
  • Unsalted butter
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • Whole milk
  • Powder sugar
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Heavy whipping cream

How to Make Brown Butter Pecan Cake

Prepare 3 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper and baking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until it is fluffy and light.

Add the vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Fold in the chopped pecans.

Divide the batter between the 3 pans.

Bake in the oven to 30-35 degrees. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

All the cake to cool completely.

Next, make the frosting. Beat together all of the ingredients using a mixer.

Cut the domes off the cake.

brown butter pecan cake layer

Plae a layer of cake on the cake board and add a cup of frosting. Then smooth the frosting.

cake layer with white icing

Add the next layer of cake and then add more frosting.

Add the last layer of cake and frost the rest of the cake.

Use a piping bag, add a 1/2 cup of frosting and put dollops of frosting around the top of the cake.

Coat the bottom of the cake in pecans and then add some pecans to the top of the cake.

brown butter pecan cake

brown butter pecan cake on a white plate
5 from 1 vote

Brown Butter Pecan Cake

This Brown Butter Pecan Cake Recipe is like no other cake you have had. This vanilla cake is a rich buttery 3 layer cake that has pecans in the batter and is topped with a cinnamon frosting with more pecans.
Servings: 12
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients
  

Cake ingredients

Cinnamon Frosting

Instructions

Cake Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 3 9inch round cake pans with pam baking spray
  • Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  • Beat in the vanilla until combined
  • Beat in eggs, one at a time until combined. Whisk in the milk until smooth.
  • Using a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until combined
  • Gradually whisk in dry ingredients into the wet.
  • Fold in the chop pecans
  • Divide the batter between the three pans
  • Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
  • Allow to cool completely

Frosting directions

  • Beat all ingredients in a standing mixer until combined and smooth
  • Remove the domes off the cakes
  • Place 1 cake layer onto a cake board
  • Scoop 1 C of frosting onto the cake layer and smooth evenly
  • Place the second cake layer onto the first frosting layer
  • Scoop 1 C of frosting and smooth evenly
  • Place last cake layer onto the second layer of frosting
  • Scoop ½ C of frosting into a large piping bag with a star tip
  • Frost entire cake with the remaining frosting
  • Coat the bottom of the cake with the chopped pecans
  • Pipe dollops of frosting on top of the cake
  • Sprinkle chopped pecans on top
  • Cut and enjoy!

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Calories: 1243kcal | Carbohydrates: 167g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 193mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 131g | Vitamin A: 1755IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg

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Brown Butter Pecan Cake

 

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1 thought on “Brown Butter Pecan Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting”

  1. Stella Loden

    Delicious cake! Wondered if you can freeze this cake after frosting. It’s a large cake and there are only two of us so I would like to freeze some of it. Also, love the photo of your beautiful family!