Pecan Pie Cake

If you love pecan pie, you’ll go crazy for this easy pecan pie cake! It’s a homemade cake with sugary pecans inside. Best served with ice cream!

Do you love pecans in cake? Whether they are paired with cranberries or coconut, rolled up like a sweet roll or stuffed inside chocolate cake, pecans add such a rich, home flavor and texture to cakes.

Pecan Pie Cake Recipe with chopped pecans on a plate

Easy Pecan Cake

Have you ever heard of a dump cake? In some ways, this cake is like a dump cake. It’s 100% from scratch, easy to make and best served in a bowl with ice cream.

If you love pecans, this nutty pecan cake will quickly become a favorite.

Pecan Pie Cake Recipe in a 8x8 pan with one slice missing

How to Make Pecan Pie Cake

Let’s walk through the steps of making this super easy pecan pie cake. It’s a two step process and may sound strange, but it totally works:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8×8 baking pan with cooking spray.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside ⅓ cup (for the second cake part).
  • In another bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, oil and vanilla. Mix well.
  • Add in the flour mixture and the milk, alternately, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Fold in 1 cup of chopped pecans.
pecans and butter in the bottom of a pan
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. This is what it might look like:
unbaked cake with pecans
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the reserved ⅓ cup flour mixture, melted butter, egg, milk, sugar, corn syrup and the remaining pecans. Mix well.
  • Pour this mixture as evenly as possible over the cake after it has baked for 20 minutes. It will sink towards the bottom….that’s ok! Just trust the process. This is what ours looked like after pouring:
half baked Pecan Pie Cake Recipe
  • Bake again for 45 minutes or until the center of the cake is set.
Pecan Pie Cake in an 8x8 pan with one slice missing

How do you know when cake is done?

For the most part you can touch the center of a cake and it will spring back, or if you stick a toothpick in the center, it will come out clean.

The top of the cake should be slightly puffed up and golden brown. It should feel firm and not gooey in the center if you touch it.

How do you store cake?

This cake is best stored at room temperature. Be sure to store it covered and it should keep for 3-4 days at room temp.

Can you freeze cake?

Yes! Most cakes freeze well if you store them in an airtight container. This cake is no different.

When you are planning to serve the cake, remove it from the refrigerator so that it completely defrosts before you open the storage container. This will help prevent the cake from drying out.

bite out of Pecan Pie Cake on a plate

Other Cake Recipes

slice of Pecan Pie Cake Recipe
slice of Pecan Pie Cake Recipe

Pecan Pie Cake

3.74 from 204 votes
If you love pecan pie, you’ll go crazy for this easy pecan pie cake! It’s a homemade cake with sugary pecans baked inside. Best served with ice cream!
Servings 9
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

First Cake Layer:

Second Cake Layer

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8×8 baking pan with cooking spray.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside ⅓ cup (for the second cake part).
  • In another bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, oil and vanilla. Mix well.
  • Add in the flour mixture and the milk, alternately, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Fold in 1 cup of chopped pecans.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the reserved ⅓ cup flour mixture, melted butter, egg, milk, sugar, corn syrup and chopped pecans. Mix well.
  • Pour this mixture as evenly as possible over the cake after it has baked for 20 minutes. It will sink towards the bottom….that's ok! Just trust the process.
  • Bake again for 45 minutes or until the center of the cake is set.
  • Serve the cake warm with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream.

Video

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 9 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 505
Keyword cake with pecans, coconut cake, easy homemade cake, easy nut cake
Pecan Pie Cake Recipe title image

About Julie Clark

We are Julie, Maddie, and Kinslee – a mother and daughter team sharing with you the best cakes to satisfy any need or sweet craving that you may have. Welcome to our family’s kitchen!

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5 stars
GREAT recipe! I noticed in the second layer instructions there is no mention of pecans in the ingredients or in the method. I almost screwed this up when I was making this tasty treat but it just didn’t seem right to me to not have nuts in the second layer so I watched the video and confirmed there is a second cup of pecans for that layer. Thanks for sharing this recipe, it’s awesome and my whole family loved it!

Please let me know how deep the 8×8 baking dish should be. Also, would metal work as well as the ceramic considering they have different heat absorbing/retaining properties? Thank you, Pam

Could this be made sugar free

Is there a substitute for corn syrup that will work in this cake? The cake looks amazing, but I try to avoid corn syrup.

Thank you, the thought of having two of my holiday favorites together excites me as much lessoning my baking time does.

5 stars
I have made this cake half a dozen times and only once did it not return out amazing! I think I failed to add sugar to the 2nd layer!! I always add more pecans and a 8×9 glass dish. It’s like a coffee cake with pecans!! I love it thank you!

Can I use oat or almond milk instead of regular milk? Thank you in advance.

Can I use vegetable oil instead of canola oil?

5 stars
Just made this recipe using dark corn syrup. It’s very good!

5 stars
I had to use an alternative ingredient to the recipe. Instead of corn syrup I used Maple syrup.
And the second layer turned out a little too wet so I probably would use less milk. But, it all worked out and the cake was delicious!

5 stars
Very easy tofollow

what would make this cake very brown and almost burnt/ with a chewy texture yet undone in the center? this is how mine turned out and the cake part tastes very floury, what did i do wrong?

I only have dark corn syrup, would that work in place of the light corn syrup?

20 minutes for first part is way too long.. cake was done. so second part doesnt sink.

Is there nuts in the top layer part 2 layer of this cake is in the video it looks like it and it’s not mentioned in the recipe

Is it self rising flour or all purpose?

Do you think this could be made into cupcakes?

What would happen if I added chocolate chips to it for chocolate pecan pie cake? Would it fall or still work?

I don’t see any liquid ingredients to make a “batter”!?? Thank you!

I don’t have an 8×8 pan. Could I use a stone Bundt pan or 9×9 glass ????