Description
Butter Pecan Bliss Cake is a rich and toasty layered cake featuring browned butter and finely chopped pecans baked into moist cake layers, all enveloped in a creamy, fluffy cream cheese buttercream frosting. This dessert offers a comforting combination of nutty, buttery flavors and smooth sweetness perfect for celebrations or cozy treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature preferred
- 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups pecan halves, very finely chopped
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- â…“ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- â…“ cup pecan halves, very finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until golden specks form, which should take about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely before using.
- Prepare Pans and Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with butter, then line the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Combine Butter and Dry Mix: Add the cooled browned butter to the dry ingredients and beat the mixture with an electric mixer until thoroughly blended.
- Mix Wet Ingredients and Combine: In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add this liquid mixture to the butter-flour mix and beat on low speed until just combined. Then gently fold in the finely chopped pecans with a spatula.
- Bake the Cake Layers: Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. After baking, let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes before transferring them onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Add the light brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and beat until combined. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar and the heavy cream until the frosting is fluffy and has a spreadable consistency.
- Assemble the Cake: If needed, level the cooled cake layers with a knife or cake leveler. Spread a generous layer of frosting on the first cake layer, then stack the second layer on top and repeat. Place the third layer on top and apply frosting to the entire cake evenly. Sprinkle the optional finely chopped pecans on the top as decoration.
- Serve: Slice the cake into 12 servings and enjoy the rich, creamy, nutty flavor combination in each comforting bite.
Notes
- Using room temperature buttermilk and eggs ensures a smoother batter and better texture.
- Be sure to brown the butter carefully to avoid burning; the aroma should be nutty and the butter will have golden specks.
- Chilling the cake layers slightly before frosting can help prevent crumb mixing into the frosting during assembly.
- For extra flavor, toast the pecans lightly before chopping and adding to the batter and topping.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute by adding 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 ½ cups milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
