Have I menationed that I love pecans? I love pecan pie, pecan pralines, pecan sticky buns, pecans in my cinnamon rolls. Heck, I’ll put pecans on my ice cream. With this recipe, I can put ice cream on my pecans. This Pecan Upside Down Cake is easy to make and so very yummy, especially if served still warm with said ice cream and/or whipped cream.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hr 10 min
8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Pecan Topping
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups pecans roughly chopped (or use pecan pieces)

Cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup whole milk room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an 8” round cake pan generously with nonstick spray or butter.

Pecan Toppig
1 - Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat and stir until melted.

2 - Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and stir until the brown sugar has dissolved.

3 - Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, and pecans until the pecans are completely coated.

4 - Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and gently spread to the edges. Set aside while you prepare the cake batter.

Cake
1 - Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.

2 - In a bowl (using a stand mixer or hand mixer) cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.

3 - Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides.

4 - While mixing on low speed, alternate adding the flour and milk, ending with the flour. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the excess flour around the edges so you don’t over mix.

5 - Spoon the batter into the pan (dollop some around the sides, then the middle) and gently spread evenly across the pan, working the batter the whole way to the edges

Note: Don’t push or spread with too much pressure. Disturbing the pecan layer on the bottom will affect the flip at the end.

6 - Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.

7 - Place a plate or serving platter on top of the cake, then use oven mitts or a tea towel (holding the pan and the platter like a sandwich) and flip the cake immediately. Leave the pan on top for 1 minute and gently tap the pan all over.

8 - Remove the pan by lifting it straight up, and scoop out any leftover pieces of nuts in the pan back and place them back onto the cake.

9 - Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

TIPS
1 - You can substitute walnuts for the pecans if you prefer.

2 - To cut, use a serrated knife to gently saw through the nut layer, then push down through the cake layer.

3 - Store the cake covered with foil at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Once again, I’m going old school because this recipe just says Oklahoma to me and it’s something that the Barron boys would enjoy. With two hungry mouths to feed, Jolie Davis Barron bakes this a lot. Of course, it might have something to do with the fact that her “boys” love this dessert. Cord and their son CJ beg for this especially for Thanksgiving. I can almost agree with them because while I do love me some pie, this cake is on a whole ‘nother level of yumminess. If you’d like to travel back to the early days of my career, Jolie and Cord’s story, THE COWGIRL’S LITTLE SECRET, is the second book in the Red Dirt Royalty series. They’re my Romeo and Juliet couple of the series with a bonus secret baby. What’s not to love, right? If you haven’t tried my Harlequin Desires, this is a great time to start them. Just click on the pic or the title to head to Harlequin. You can buy it direct there or find a link to various other on-line retailers. If you are interested in the series, click on Red Dirt to find the page here on my siite, with a list and blurb for all the books. Today’s question is a serious one. No, seriously! 😉 Which do you prefer, pie or cake?