Pecan Pie Bundt Cake

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Pecan Pie Bundt Cake
Having a bite of this cake is almost like eating a piece of pecan pie without the pie pastry. Filled with pecans and drenched in a heavenly toffee sauce, this cake is full of nutty, brown sugar, and buttery flavors.
Recipe type: Dessert | Butter Bundt Cake
Serves: 10 to 12 servings
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9-inch Bundt pan Pan Prep: Greased and Floured Oven Temp: 325° Storage: Cover and Cool Place or Refrigerate

Help: Cake Hints and Tips
Ingredients
Small amount of vegetable shortening and flour for preparing pan
Cake Batter:
  • 1½ cups coarsely chopped pecans, chop into about ¼ inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • ¾ cup dark corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, warmed to room temperature
Toffee Sauce:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare one 9-inch fluted tube pan; lightly grease the pan with shortening and dust with flour.
Cake Batter:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the chopped pecans with 1 tablespoon flour. Sprinkle about ½ cup of the pecans in the bottom of the prepared pan. Set rest of pecans aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2¼ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  3. In a mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, stir together the buttermilk, corn syrup, and vanilla. Set aside. Tip: To make easier to mix, briefly warm the buttermilk in the microwave to bring to room temperature before adding the corn syrup, then add the vanilla and stir together.
  4. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale-yellow color, with a fluffy texture. While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
  5. Add eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed. Tip: For each egg, crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the creamed mixture. Start with the mixer on low speed so the liquid from the egg doesn’t splatter, once the egg is partially mixed increase the speed to medium. Each egg should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg, taking about one minute to blend in each egg.
  6. With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the buttermilk mixture, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  7. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold floured pecans into the batter.
  8. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 65 to 70 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before adding the toffee sauce.
  9. While cake is cooling and the cake is still in the pan, poke holes all over top of cake with a long wooden toothpick or skewer, penetrating to the bottom of the cake. Tip: the more holes the better to allow the Toffee Sauce to penetrate the cake all over. Try to get holes at least ½ inch apart and making sure and poke holes around the cake edges also.
  10. Use about half (1 cup) of the Toffee Sauce to pour over the cake. First drizzle about ½ cup of Toffee Sauce over cake, making sure to get all around the edges. let sauce mostly soak in then add the remaining ½ cup of sauce.
  11. Let cake sit about 30 minutes to allow the toffee sauce to soak in. Then remove cake from the pan and place the cake on a rimmed plate to catch any drips from the Toffee Sauce and allow to cool completely.
  12. Before serving drizzle some of the remaining Toffee Sauce over the cake and use the remaining Toffee Sauce to pour over individual cake slices when serving.

  13. Pecan Pie Bundt Cake
Toffee Sauce:
  1. Meanwhile, while cake is baking prepare the Toffee Sauce.
  2. In a medium-sized heavy bottom pan, combine butter, brown sugar, cream, and salt.
  3. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, set aside to cool until ready to pour over baked cake. Tip: makes about 2 cups of Toffee Sauce. Toffee sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Before using bring to room temperature or reheat sauce on the stove-top over low heat or briefly in the microwave.

  4. Pecan Pie Bundt Cake

Adapted From: bakefromscratch.com; marthastewartweddings.com