Pecan Upside Down Cake
If you love pecan pie, this Pecan Upside Down Cake is a must-try! Baked into a soft, buttery cake. A gooey brown sugar caramel and toasted pecans go into the bottom of the pan, the vanilla cake batter goes right on top, and when you flip it out, all that glossy caramel pecan topping melts down the sides. It's the dessert I love to bring to the table once the weather turns cool, whether it's a Sunday dinner, a Thanksgiving dessert spread, or just because a cozy fall bake sounds good.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
Pecan Topping
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon bourbon optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 and ¾ cups pecan halves roughly chopped
Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Make sure to grease the pan and parchment really well so the cake releases!
- Place the pecans in a dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Let the mixture come to a boil and time for one minute while stirring and remove from the heat. Carefully stir in the bourbon, vanilla, and salt as this will cause it to bubble vigorously.
- Pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chopped pecans all over the caramel in the pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a seperate large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and yogurt Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Carefully spoon the cake batter over the pecan topping and spread it into an even layer, taking care not to disturb the pecans.
- Bake for 32-35 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, place a serving plate over the pan, and carefully invert. Let the pan sit for about a minute before lifting it off. If any pecans stick to the pan, gently remove them and place them back onto the cake while the topping is still warm.