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Pecan Upside Down Cake

This easy, single-layer pecan upside down cake is moist, buttery and bursting with caramel and pecan flavors.

  • Author: Claire Coffey
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 10 slices 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the pecan topping:

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup agave nectar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the cake:

  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, agave and butter over low-medium heat.
  2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt.
  4. In a bowl, whip the eggs and sugar on high until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
  5. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another.
  6. Starting with the dry ingredients and alternating between wet and dry, add your ingredients to the egg/sugar mixture, whisking until just combined.
  7. Pour the pecan topping into a parchment paper lined 9" round cake pan, spreading evenly.
  8. Top with cake batter.
  9. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes.
  10. Once the pan has cooled enough to handle, turn the cake out onto a plate.

Notes

  • Agave nectar substitutions: Don’t have agave nectar on hand or would prefer to use something else? Try substituting light corn syrup or maple syrup at a 1:1 ratio.
  • Testing for doneness: Although tempting to wait until the toothpick comes out completely clean, doing so will likely lead to over-baking your cake. Instead, you want your toothpick to come out without any raw batter and with some cooked crumbs still clinging to it.
  • Storage: This cake can be kept in an air tight container at room temperature and is best when eaten within 2-3 days.
  • Making this cake for a crowd: If you need more cake, simply double the recipe and bake it in a 9″x13″ at 350F adding 5-15 minutes to the bake time.

Nutrition

Keywords: pecan cake, pecan cake recipe, pecan upside down cake