Pecan Spice Layer Cake with Frosting
From mountainmama 16 years ago
- 35 minutes to make
- Serves 10
Several traditional southern themes — pecans, Caribbean spices, and, of course, thick, tangy cream cheese frosting — come together in this gorgeous layer cake that's both down-home and elegant.
Ingredients
- For cake shopping list
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces and softened, plus additional for buttering pans shopping list
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising) shopping list
- 2 teaspoons baking powder shopping list
- 1 teaspoon baking soda shopping list
- 3/4 teaspoon salt shopping list
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon shopping list
- 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg shopping list
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger shopping list
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice shopping list
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves shopping list
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar shopping list
- 3 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes shopping list
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract shopping list
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream shopping list
- 3/4 cup pecans (3 ounces), toasted, cooled, and finely chopped shopping list
- For frosting shopping list
- 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened shopping list
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened shopping list
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest shopping list
- 3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar (from a 1-pound package) shopping list
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice shopping list
- 1 1/3 cups pecans (5 ounces), toasted, cooled, and finely chopped shopping list
How to make it
- Make cake:
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
- Sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices into a large bowl.
- Beat together butter (1 1/2 sticks) and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and sour cream alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth. Mix in pecans until just combined.
- Spoon batter evenly into pans, smoothing tops, then rap pans once or twice to expel any air bubbles. Bake until pale golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edge of pans, then invert racks over pans and reinvert cakes onto racks to cool completely.
- Make frosting:
- Beat together cream cheese, butter, and zest in a bowl with clean beaters at medium-high speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Sift in confectioners sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined, then add lemon juice and beat at medium-high speed until frosting is smooth.
- Assemble and frost cake:
- Halve each cake layer horizontally with a long serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion. Put 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake stand or large plate and spread with about 3/4 cup frosting. Stack remaining cake layers, spreading about 3/4 cup frosting on each layer and ending with top cake layer cut side down. Spread top and side of cake with remaining frosting (about 3 1/2 cups) and coat side of cake with pecans (1 1/3 cups), gently pressing to help them adhere.
- NOTES
- Cake layers (not split) can be kept, wrapped individually in plastic wrap and placed in large sealed plastic bags, chilled 1 day or frozen 1 week. If frozen, thaw in bags at room temperature, about 2 hours.
- Frosting can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature, then stir until smooth before using.
- Cake can be assembled and frosted 8 hours ahead, then kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.
- From Start to Finish this cake can take a total of 2 1/2 hours. It is worth the time it takes. Some work faster than others. It didn't take me that long to make this and I've been making it for years.
The Rating
Reviewed by 9 people-
WOW!!!! THAT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL I LOVE THIS CAKE --PECANS-- SPICE-- EVERYTHING ABOUT IT .YUM THANKS .........
minitindel
in THE HEART OF THE WINE COUNTRY loved it
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wonderfulcake beautiful picture
momo_55grandma
in Mountianview loved it
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YUM, this is a must make soon, it sounds so darn good, how could you go wrong with all those wonderful flavors in one place. Sure am glad you posted this one. You have my 5
henrie
in Savannah loved it
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