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Pecan Upside Down Cake Recipe

Megan
Pecan upside down cake is a soft, fluffy and buttery vanilla cake topped with a sweet, gooey pecan pie topping.  This pecan pie cake is like a delicious cross between cake and pecan pie. It’s a beautiful, unique and cozy dessert that’s perfect for the holidays.
4.54 from 99 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Celebrations, Dessert, Holiday
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices

Equipment

  • 1 10-12 cup capacity bundt cake or 9 - 10 inch (23 cm) cake pan (see notes for other pan sizes)
  • 1 stand mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer with beaters
  • several mixing bowls
  • 1 spatula or spoon

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Cake

  • 2¼ cups (270 g) all purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup (170 g g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) canola oil
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs (US), room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon (60 ml) vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup (90 g) sour cream, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature

Pecan Pie Topping

  • ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (118 ml) melted butter
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) honey
  • ¾ teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1½ cups (95 g) pecans, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Generously grease a 10 inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) or a 9 -10 inch (23 cm) cake pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together until well combined.
    2¼ cups (270 g) all purpose flour , 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment cream the room temperature butter and oil on medium until smooth and well combined. Decrease the mixer to low speed,  slowly pour the granulated and light brown sugars into the butter and oil mixture. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium for about 3 minutes or until the butter and sugar are fluffy and light in color.
    ¾ cup (170 g g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) canola oil , ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
  • On the lowest speed, mix in the eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract one at a time. Wait for each ingredient to be fully incorporated before adding the next. The mixture may look a little curdled at this point. Don’t worry, this is exactly how it should look at this stage.
    3 large eggs (US), room temperature, 1 tablespoon (60 ml) vanilla extract , ⅓ cup (90 g) sour cream, room temperature
  • By hand or on the lowest setting of your mixer, mix in the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with the buttermilk. This will be done in three rounds- dry, buttermilk, dry, buttermilk, dry. If you are familiar with vanilla pound cake, this cake batter will look very similar. Set aside for a minute to make the pecan pie filling topping.
    ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • In a large bowl whisk the melted butter, honey, light brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt together until well combined. Stir in the chopped pecans.
    Evenly pour the pecan pie topping into the prepared cake pan. Top the pecan pie filling with the vanilla cake. Evenly spread the cake around the pan.
    ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (118 ml) melted butter, ¼ cup (59 ml) honey , ¾ teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon , ¼ teaspoon salt , 1½ cups (95 g) pecans, chopped
  • Bake the upside down pecan cake for about 45 - 60 minutes. The edges of the cake will pull slightly from the sides of the pan. The cake will bounce back quickly when gently pressed into the center of the cake. Remove the cake from the oven to cool on a cooling rack for about 8 - 10 minutes.
  • To remove the cake from the pan, place a serving plate or even another cooling rack on top of the cake pan. Invert the pan so the top of the cake is now on the bottom (on the serving plate or second cooling rack). Gently tap all around the pan to help loosen any pieces of cake that may be stuck. Gently lift up the pan. If some pieces of pecan filling remain stuck to the pan, simply scoop them out and top the cake while the cake is still hot. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before enjoying.

Notes

Store: Wrap the pecan pie cake in plastic wrap, keep it under a cake dome or in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Transfer the cake slices in an airtight container to the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tip: Use a non-stick spray to generously grease the bundt pan. If needed, take a pastry brush or even a clean hands and work the spray into all the grooves of the pan. The topping is meant to caramelize and this means a greater chance of sticking once it cools. It’s so important to generously grease the pan. If you are worried at all about using a bundt pan, I suggest using a regular 9 -10 inch cake pan generously greased and lined with parchment paper. 
Old Vanilla Cake Recipe Measurements: 
  • 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoon (30 ml) canola oil
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs (US), room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon (10 ml) vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature
  • ½ cup (118 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Bake this version for about 30 - 40 minutes. The pecan pie filling measurements are the same for each version.
 
 
Keyword Pecan Cake, Pecan Pie Cake, Pecan Upside Down Cake, Pecan Upside Down Cake Recipe, Upside Down Pecan Cake
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