Delicious layers of homemade Spice Cake with a Pecan Pie filling. This Pecan Pie cake is topped with a creamy Brown Sugar frosting! Drooling yet?
Love Pecan Pie? Don’t miss my favorite Pecan Pie Bundt Cake recipe! Or these creamy, delicious Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars for the perfect holiday treat.
Why This Recipe is Best
Today, though, it’s all about the Pecan Pie Cake.
This isn’t just an everyday cake with a few pecans thrown on top, folks. When I say it is a Pecan PIE cake, I mean it.
Starting with a spice cake base, you sandwich real pecan pie filling between the layers. You get moist cake with sticky pecan crunch in every bite of this dessert!
And I haven’t even mentioned the frosting yet. A simple cream cheese frosting gets a richer flavor from the addition of brown sugar that pairs beautifully with the pecan flavor.
This cake is MUST try if you love all things pecan!
Ingredient Notes
- Karo corn syrup – Dark corn syrup is a must for getting a deep caramelized flavor in the pecan pie filling.
- Pecans – You need both pecan halves and the pieces for this recipe (or you can chop the halves into smaller bites yourself!). I prefer to toast the pecans for more flavor.
- Cake flour – For cakes with a light crumb, cake flour is a must! You can substitute all purpose flour if needed by the finished cake will be more dense.
I started with my from scratch, spice cake recipe to make this Pecan Pie Cake. If you want to save yourself a step and use a boxed mix, go for it!
Step by Step Instructions
Pecan filling
- Heat the brown sugar, dark corn syrup, heavy cream, butter and kosher salt until it begins to boil. Let it boil for a full minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the chopped nuts and vanilla extract. Let the mixture cool to thicken up before adding it to the cake layers.
Bake your cakes
- Combine the egg whites with milk in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar, then add all the dry ingredients followed by the egg whites and milk.
- Pour the batter into prepared layer cake pans and bake for 25 minutes.
Brown sugar frosting
- While the cakes are baking, beat together the cream cheese, butter, brown sugar and powdered sugar until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
Assemble the cake
- Place one of the cakes on a cake plate. Make sure the dome of the cake has been sliced off, so that the cake is level.
- Top with the pecan pie filling, followed by the second cake later. Then top with the second cake layer. Spread a thin layer of the frosting over the cake top and sides, then chill for 15 minutes.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the cake and garnish with pecan halves (or pieces, if preferred). Keep the cake in the refrigerator until 15 minutes before serving.
Slice and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
You CAN but the cake will be denser with a firmer crumb. You can also substitute a boxed spice cake mix for all the cake ingredients and bake it according to package directions as an alternative.
I baked this in 2 9-inch round baking pans.
Yes, I find it holds up best if stored covered in the fridge.
More Nutty Desserts
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
- Pecan Pie Truffles
- Microwave Peanut Brittle
- Pecan Pie Brownies
- Rosemary Roasted Nuts
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Pecan Tassies
Easy Cake Recipes
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Pecan Pie Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 5 egg whites room temperature
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cup cake flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
For the filling:
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup dark corn syrup
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups chopped pecans
For the frosting:
- 1 package cream cheese, softened 8 ounce
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup pecan halves for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by making the filling first. You can do this night before, or before preparing the cake.
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, dark corn syrup, heavy cream, butter and salt. Heat over medium heat until mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly.
- Once boiling, continue to stir and boil for one full minute. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla extract and chopped pecans. Chill in the refrigerator until it thickens, at least two hours (or overnight).
- For the cake, preheat oven to 350 degree F. Prepare 2- 9inch cake pans by spraying with non stick baking spray. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine egg whites with 1/4 cup of the milk. Mix and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy (about 2-3 minutes). Add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the egg white mixture and slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup milk. Beat for a full 3 minutes.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then invert on wire racks and cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, brown sugar and powdered sugar for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- To assemble cake, lay one layer of cooled cake on a cake plate. Make sure the dome of the cake has been sliced off, so that the cake is level. Top with the chilled and thickened pecan pie filling. Then top with the second cake layer. Spread a thin layer of the frosting on sides and top of cake to make a crumb coating. Chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the cake and garnish with pecans. Keep cake chilled until ready to serve. Then let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. ENJOY!
Notes
- Make sure the cake layers are level before stacking. Use a serrated knife to cut the dome off the top of your cake. This is especially important for the bottom layer. You don’t want the pecan pie filling oozing out the sides too much.
- Make the pecan pie filling the night before. I like to do this so it has plenty of time to thicken.
- Keep cold. Store the cake in the fridge to kee[ the pecan layer from getting too soft and oozing out. Remove it from the fridge 15 minutes before serving to let it soften a bit.
Nutrition
So, there you have it friends, the perfect holiday cake! Pin it, bookmark it or print this one out for your recipe box. Pecan Pie Cake is going to be a new family favorite!
You’re basically my cake hero! HOLY COW this idea is beyond awesome and I love all the flavors here in the pecan pie filling in between the layers! Thanks for the rockin’ recipe!
Could you make this into a bundt cake?
ok it looks good, but does it taste good.?
I just drooled on my keyboard! It was soooooo good! Thank you!
Hi Aimee,
I don’t have a cake leveler…I don’t even know what that is! What I DO have is a Wiltern layer cake slicer. (a piece of piano wire attached to metal rods. It works wonders. I use it for when I am making a layer cake or need to make a cake level.
It came out AMAZINGLY. I refridgerated the cake for 30 mins AFTER putting the filling on, and BEFORE icing, so it wouldn’t ooze out and ruin the look of the cake when applying the frosting…and it worked!
So glad it worked, ENJOY 🙂
So I just made this cake and it is DELICIOUS! My only issue was the filling was so incredibly thick, but kind of runny at the same time. It kept oozing out the the sides of the cake and completely ruined the frosting on the bottom layer 🙁 Any idea what I did wrong??
It is a “runny” filling. I refrigerate mine before serving and that helps keep it more firm!
@ Mike and Aimee
I have this wonderful cream cheese frosting. It is very light and not very sweet. It is my go-to cream cheese frosting since so many in my family do not like excessively sweet frosting (I love it!)
See Below, I think it would be wonderful with this cake.
1 pkg cream cheese 8 oz softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy cream
Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.
use at whisk attachment – slowly add very chilled whipping cream
whip until peaks form
(similar to peaks of whipping cream)
While this is fine at room temp for a couple hours, Since it is dairy, it should be refrigerated
That sounds delicious Elizabeth. Thank you for sharing!
I made this cake today for my wife’s birthday and I have to say–we all loved it but I found it too sweet to have more than a few bites. I followed the recipe for the filling and frosting (I did use box cake to save myself time) are there any recommendations you’d have for adjustments that might cut the sweet a little without losing flavor?
I suppose you could top it with a whipped cream frosting, to make it a little lighter!?
HI! Any chance I could just use a white cake box and add the spices to it?
Of course. You can also use a Spice cake mix. 🙂
My husband’s a big fan of pecan pie. I made this for his birthday yesterday and he loved it. Make sure you cutoff the dome on the cake bottom. That’s key to the filling remaining in place.
Great tip about the dome. I use the Wilton Bake strips so they bake even ad flat!! Glad you enjoyed the cake 🙂
This is so beautiful Aimee!! Perfect for the holidays!
This cake is such a stunner, Aimee! I can’t wait to give it a try!
I love that you offer leftovers to your neighbors!!!! You must be well loved!!
Okay, I want this cake for Thanksgiving! I mean it has the word “pie” in it, so I think all my bases are covered! I am seriously obsessing over that gooey pecan filling!
This is incredible! My family would really love it.
to answer your question: yes….yes I AM drooling!!!
That brown sugar frosting and pecan pie filling are completely killing me right now!
Thanks for answering the question 😉
I know what you mean about crazy ideas and going on sprees baking things that may or may not turn out, and bless you for giving so many lucky people treats! They must be thrilled. 🙂 This cake is such a great idea, and that filling looks amazing! Pinned. 🙂
The filling between the layers – OMG! I could eat it with a spoon! This cake is gorgeous, Aimee!! I know my family would love it! Pinned!
Such a fantastic cake! And that center … OMG, get in my belly!