Butterscotch Caramel Pecan Cake Recipe

My father has a serious love of all things caramel and butterscotch. It stems from a cake his mother made him as a child. I have heard tales of this special caramel cake many times, and all the special memories that were made while eating it. Since then, it has become a tradition for me to make him this Butterscotch and Caramel Cake for Father’s Day. It’s a fun, meaningful and delicious way to show him how much he means to me. You can see photos from the first time I made the cake in this blog post.

This year, we celebrated Father’s Day a little bit early. Of course, I had to make the famous Butterscotch cake! This recipe comes from Martha Stewart (find it here), with a few minor changes. Rather than all-purpose flour I use whole wheat pastry flour. I love the color it gives, along with a slightly richer texture. This cake is a rather labor-intensive process with several steps and ingredients…but it’s so worth it!

What You’ll Need:
Cake Batter
3 3/4 cup flour (I used organic, whole-wheat pastry flour)
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp sea salt
10 ounces (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted, softened butter
2 1/2 cups packed dark-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbs + 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 tsp dark rum
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Frosting
12 ounces unsalted butter (3 sticks)
2 cups packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp sea salt
20 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Butterscotch Syrup
2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
3 ounces (6 Tbs) butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups pecan halves

Make the Frosting
ONE: Melt one stick of butter in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium until golden brown. This process is called “browning the butter.” It helps the butter develop a delicious, rich and slightly nutty flavor. The butter solids separate and fall to the bottom of the pan. You need to stir continuously through this. Once the butter is browned, add the brown sugar, cream and salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring this to a boil, whisking constantly and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool and prevent further cooking. 

TWO: Soften two sticks of butter and cut into very small pieces. Add this butter, a few pieces at a time, and beat on low until the butter is incorporated into the frosting base. Beat this mixture for 2 minutes. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar on medium to high until fluffy (2 to 3 minutes). Add the brown butter mixture to the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for two hours until fully chilled.

Make the Cake
ONE: Preheat the oven to 325 ° F. Whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, flour and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla and rum, and reduce mixing speed to low. Begin to add the dry mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat for about 2 minutes on medium until mixture is completely smooth.

TWO: Spray the bake pans with cooking spray. Pour the cake batter into each pan. Tamp the pans on the counter to help get rid of any large bubbles. Allow to bake for 35-45 minutes. To check to see if the center of the cake is done, insert a chopstick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to fully cool for several hours or overnight.

Make the Butterscotch Syrup
ONE: While the cakes cool, time to make the butterscotch syrup! In a saucepan, mix the sugar, butter and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil while stirring and cook for about two minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in cream. Return to heat and allow to cook for another two minutes. Remove and allow to cool.


TWO: Trim the sides of the cake if necessary. Trim the top to create a flat surface. Gently pour about 3/4 of the butterscotch mixture onto the exposed sides of each layer of cake. Allow the syrup to fully soak into the cake. Frost the inside of the bottom layer, and carefully place the top layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. 


Caramelize the Pecans & Assemble
ONE: Place the pecans in a saucepan and turn heat to medium. Pour the remaining butterscotch syrup on the pecans. Stirring constantly, heat for approximately 10 minutes until the syrup becomes sticky and thick. Stir to evenly coat the pecans in the mixture. Turn the heat off, and allow to cool slightly, stirring constantly. At this point, the pecans will be very sticky. Carefully pour the pecans directly on the top of the cake and allow to fully cool. Enjoy!

What are you doing for Father’s Day this year? If you have a caramel or butterscotch recipe that you love, please share =)

5.0 from 2 reviews

Butterscotch Pecan Cake Recipe

 

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This Butterscotch Pecan Cake is rich, decadent and full of butterscotch flavor.

Author: Soap Queen

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Cake Batter

• 3¾ cup flour (I used organic, whole-wheat pastry flour)
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 2½ tsp sea salt
• 10 ounces (2½ sticks) unsalted, softened butter
• 2½ cups packed dark-brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbs + 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1¼ tsp dark rum
• 1¼ cups buttermilk

Frosting

• 12 ounces unsalted butter (3 sticks)
• 2 cups packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 20 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Butterscotch Syrup

• ⅔ cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 3 ounces (6 Tbs) butter, cut into pieces
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

Make the Frosting

1. Melt one stick of butter in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium until golden brown. This process is called “browning the butter.” It helps the butter develop a delicious, rich, slightly nutty flavor. The butter solids separate and fall to the bottom of the pan. You need to stir continuously through this. Once the butter is browned, add the brown sugar, cream and salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring this to a boil, whisking constantly and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool and prevent further cooking.
2. Soften two sticks of butter and cut into very small pieces. Add this butter, a few pieces at a time, and beat on low until the butter is incorporated into the frosting base. Beat this mixture for 2 minutes. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar on medium to high until fluffy (2 to 3 minutes). Add the brown butter mixture to the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for two hours until fully chilled.

Make the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325 ° F. Whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, flour and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown suagr on medium speed until pake and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla and rum, and reduce mixing speed to low. Begin to add the dry mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat for about 2 minutes on medium until mixture is completely smooth.
2. Spray the bake pans with cooking spray. Pour the cake batter into each pan. Tamp the pans on the counter to help get rid of any large bubbles. Allow to bake for 35-45 minutes. To check to see if the center of the cake is done, insert a chopstick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to fully cool for several hours or overnight.

Make the Butterscotch Syrup

1. While the cakes cool, time to make the butterscotch syrup! In a saucepan, mix the sugar, butter and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil while stirring and cook for about two minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in cream. Return to heat and allow to cook for another two minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
2. Trim the sides of the cake if necessary. Trim the top to create a flat surface. Gently pour about ¾ of the butterscotch mixture onto the exposed sides of each layer of cake. Allow the syrup to fully soak into the cake. Frost the inside of the bottom layer, and carefully place the top layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.

Caramelize the Pecans

1. Place the pecans in a saucepan and turn heat to medium. Pour the remaining butterscotch syrup on the pecans. Stirring constantly, heat for approximately 10 minutes until the syrup becomes sticky and thick. Stir to evenly coat the pecans in the mixture. Turn the heat off, and allow to cool slightly, stirring constantly. At this point, the pecans will be very sticky. Carefully pour the pecans directly on the top of the cake and allow to fully cool. Enjoy!

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