Pecan Upside Down Cake
This pecan upside-down cake is a true classic that never goes out of style. It has a beautiful caramelized top with a delicious soft, tender crumb. The best part is the flavor – the homemade caramel combined with the toasty pecans and butter gives it a depth of flavor that’s a real crowd-pleaser.
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s a hit with everyone, this is it. The fluffy texture of the cake, combined with the gooey pecan topping, makes for a truly delicious treat that’s perfect for special occasions.
Plus, since the recipe is homemade, you know exactly what’s going into it, and you can adjust it to your liking. Serve it up at your next gathering, and I guarantee it will be the first thing to disappear.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like my easy classic pineapple upside down cake. It’s a simple yet delicious dessert that’s perfect for those times when you want something sweet but don’t feel like putting in a lot of effort. I have a great Recipe for Pecan Pie Bars you can share it with your family or wrap the bars and gift them to your friends.
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is easy to make. With just a few simple steps, you can have a delicious dessert ready in no time.
- Family Favorite: The combination of toasty pecans, sweet caramel, and tender cake crumbs is a hit with the whole family.
- Crowd-Pleaser: This homemade cake is a sure crowd-pleaser. Perfect for potlucks, barbecues, or any gathering.
- Unforgettable Flavors: The caramelized top, toasty pecans, and moist flavorful cake impart unforgettable flavors to this classic recipe.
- Comfort Food: This cake with a chilled glass of milk is the perfect comfort food. It’s like a warm hug on a cold day.
🍊 INGREDIENTS
More details about the ingredients and measurements are in the recipe card below!
- Pecans: Toasty and chopped pecans will add a delicious crunch and a nutty flavor to our cake.
- Unsalted Butter: This will be part of our caramel sauce and will give our cake a rich and buttery flavor.
- Honey: A touch of honey will add a beautiful depth of flavor and a hint of sweetness to our caramel sauce.
- Vanilla Extract: A teaspoon of vanilla extract will enhance the overall flavor of our cake and add a touch of warmth to the caramel sauce.
🔪 HOW TO MAKE PECAN UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Step 1
Grease and Dust: Start by greasing your bundt pan to prevent the cake from sticking. Then, dust it with flour and set it aside.
Step 2
Mix Topping Ingredients: In a saucepan, combine all the topping ingredients except the vanilla extract. Cook this mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar and butter are completely dissolved, and the mixture has a smooth, caramel sauce-like texture.
Step 3
Add Vanilla Extract: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. The heat from the mixture will help incorporate the vanilla flavor. Pour this caramel sauce into your prepared bundt pan.
Step 4
Sift the Flour Mixture: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this flour mixture aside.
Step 5
Prepare the Milk Mixture: Combine the white vinegar with the milk. Set this milk mixture aside.
Step 6
Combine Egg, Vanilla, and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Beat this mixture until it becomes light in color, doubles in size, and has a fluffy texture.
Step 7
Add Oil: Pour the oil into the corner of the egg mixture. By adding the oil this way, you can prevent it from deflating the batter.
Step 8
Add Flour and Milk Mixture: Gradually add in the flour and milk mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Add half of the flour, mix gently, then add half of the milk and mix again. Repeat this process with the remaining flour and milk.
Step 9
Pour batter: Pour your batter over the prepared topping, tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
Step 10
Bake the Cake: Place the cake in a preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Step 11
Cool and Serve: Run a butter knife along the edges of the cake to loosen it, then flip the cake onto a serving plate. Allow the cake to cool, then serve with a chilled glass of milk.
👩🏽🍳 PRO TIPS TO BAKE THE PERFECT CAKE
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure that all the ingredients for the cake are at room temperature. This helps the ingredients mix well and the cake bake evenly and faster.
- Oil Helps Cake Stay Moist: This cake is oil-based; it will not harden if stored in the fridge. However, the topping might harden a little because of the melted sugar.
- Handle the Flipped Cake with Care: When flipping the cake and some of the topping runs on the sides of the serving plate, don’t panic. Use a spoon to place the topping back on the cake. It will look amazing when it cools.
📋 VARIATIONS
- Different Nuts: Instead of pecans, try this recipe with pistachios or walnuts. The different nuts will give your cake a unique flavor and add your personal touch. However, it’s worth noting that pecans give a better flavor to this pecan upside-down cake.
- Orange Zest: Add a teaspoon of orange zest to give your cake a refreshing, citrus twist. The orange zest will make the cake more vibrant.
- Buttermilk: Use buttermilk instead of the milk and vinegar. This will give your cake a richer flavor and a more tender crumb, making it even more delicious.
🍽️ HOW TO SERVE
- For a sweet start to your day, serve a slice of this pecan upside-down cake with your morning coffee. The rich, buttery cake will perfectly complement the robust flavor of the coffee.
- As a dessert, pair a slice of this pecan upside-down cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cold, creamy ice cream will enhance the buttery, nutty flavor of the cake.
- For a fun and festive brunch, why not make a build-your-own-cake bar? Serve the sliced cake with bowls of whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and additional chopped pecans. Let your guests get creative and have a blast!
💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Absolutely! While a bundt pan is considered to be ideal when making the cake, a 9 x 13-inch cake pan is another good choice to use when you don’t have a bundt pan on hand.
Not necessarily. You can use any type of milk that you prefer.
I recommend letting the cake cool for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving. This allows the topping to set.
🌡️ STORING UPSIDE DOWN PECAN CAKE
- Refrigerating: This pecan upside-down cake is oil-based, so it will not harden when stored in the fridge. However, the topping might harden a little due to the melted sugar. You can store leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: Unfortunately, this cake is not the best candidate for freezing. The texture of the topping can change upon thaw and it may not be as enjoyable. It is recommended to consume this cake within 4-6 days or share with friends and family!
📣 MORE CAKE RECIPES YOU’LL LIKE
⭐ PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
Pecan Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Topping
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup toasted and chopped pecans
The Cake
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cooking oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoon milk
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
Instructions
Prepare the pan:
- Grease and dust the bundt pan with flour and keep aside.
Preparing the topping:
- In a saucepan, add all the topping ingredients except the vanilla extract.
- On a medium heat stir the mixture until the sugar and the butter dissolves and you get a caramel sauce like texture.
- Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract. Stir to combine and pour in the prepared bundt pan.
Making the cake batter:
- Sift the flour with salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Keep it aside.
- Mix ½ tablespoon of white vinegar with milk and keep it aside, the goal here is not to make a buttermilk.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Beat the mixture until it turns light in color, double in size and have a fluffy texture.
- Gently pour the oil to the corner of the egg mixture to prevent the air from escaping the batter.
- Mix the oil with the egg mixture until combined for a few seconds.
- Add half the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture and gently mix, then add half the milk and mix gently for a few seconds.
- Repeat the previous step. Pour the batter over the topping, tap the bundt pan three time over the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake the cake in a preheat oven of 180C/350F for 35 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Run a butter knife all over the edges of the cake and then flip the cake on a serving plate, then leave it on the counter to cool.
- Serve with a chilled glass of milk.
Video
Notes
- Instead of pecans you can go for pistachios or walnuts, but pecans give a better flavor.
- You can add a teaspoon of orange zest if you want to add a citrus flavor to the cake.
- I mixed white vinegar with milk to activate the baking soda and create a moist cake with tender crumbs.
- This oil-based cake will not harden if stored in the fridge. However, the topping might harden a little because of the melted sugar.
- It is a must to have all the ingredients of the cake at room temperature, it will help the ingredients mix well and the cake will bake evenly and faster.
- When flipping the cake, some of the topping might run on the sides of the serving plate, which is perfectly alright, using a spoon place the topping back on the cake, it will look amazing when it cools.
