Thirty dollars. That’s how much I spent on pecans for this cake. I kid you not. Thirty dollars!! Is that crazy to anyone else? Ridiculous. The pecans were on sale, too.
Good grief. I didn’t use all of them (most, though), but I always get more than I need just in case. In hindsight, I probably could have gotten a giant bag of them in Costco for less.
Pecan Pie Cake
This Pecan Pie Cake is perfect for your holiday get-togethers! Brown sugar cake layers and buttercream filled with traditional pecan pie filling.
Course Dessert
Type Cake
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 12
935 kcal
INGREDIENTS
Pecan Pie Filling:
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2/3 cup water
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
Brown Sugar Cake:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk room temperature
Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
5 large egg whites
1 2/3 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
Assembly:
2 cups pecan halves
US Customary - Metric
INSTRUCTIONS
Pecan Pie Filling:
In a medium pot, whisk together water, egg yolk, and cornstarch. Add in brown sugar and chopped pecans and whisk to combine.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly for approx. 1 min.
Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Cool completely before using on cake.
Brown Sugar Cake:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8" cake rounds and line with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
Bake for 45-50mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
Place bowl over a double boiler on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins). Or registers 160F on a candy thermometer.
Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.**
Add vanilla and whip until smooth.
Assembly:
Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Pipe a damn of buttercream around the top and fill with approximately 2/3rds of the pecan pie filling.
Place second cake layer on top and apply a thin coat of frosting all over to crumb coat. Chill for 20mins.
Frost & smooth the top and sides of the cake. Do a rope border using a Wilton 6B piping tip. Chill for 20mins.
Fill the middle between the rope border with the remainder of the pecan pie filling. Decorate top and bottom with pecan halves if desired.
NOTES
*Ensure there is NO trace of egg yolks in your whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk is completely grease free or your meringue won't stiffen.
** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.