This Southern pecan pie cake recipe features all those irresistible pecan pie flavors in cake form. With a caramelized brown sugar and pecan layer on top of the cake, it’s decadent and delicious!
Hands up who loves pecan pie? It’s definitely one of the most popular desserts to enjoy during the holidays and throughout fall. There’s just something about the delicious combination of caramelized brown sugar and chopped pecans that has you coming back for more, right?
Well, with this pecan pie cake recipe (a Southern dessert specialty I might add), we take those flavors and add them on top of a box cake mix. The end result is a cake that’s decadent, rich, and moist. It’s almost like a dump cake!
Fortunately, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to make this delicious holiday dessert. All you need are 7 ingredients (cake mix, butter, light corn syrup, eggs, dark brown sugar, vanilla, and pecans) and a stand mixer. Once you mix and bake the cake layer, you then mix and bake the gooey and sweet pecan pie layer. That’s it! Enjoy a slice of pecan pie cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
Speaking of Thanksgiving and Christmas, a few of my other favorite desserts include my easy pumpkin pie recipe from scratch, pecan pie cheesecake, pumpkin praline cake with cream cheese icing, and loaded sweet potatoes with marshmallows.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter cake or yellow cake mix
- Melted butter (or margarine)
- Light corn syrup
- Eggs
- Dark brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans
How to Make Pecan Pie Cake
Mix the cake mix, 1 egg, and melted butter until well blended.
Reserve 2/3 cup of this batter.
Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
Spread the remaining cake batter into this pan and bake at 325 for 15 minutes, or until just lightly brown.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the reserved 2/3 cup of batter, syrup, remaining eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and pecans.
Pour the on top of the cake layer.
Cook at 325 for 50-60 minutes or until set in the center.
Doesn’t that look exactly like a pecan pie?
But hiding underneath is a fluffy cake. What more could you want?
Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Enjoy!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend reheating leftovers quickly in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- Use any box cake mix you like. You might even want to enhance the pecan flavor and opt for a butter pecan cake mix.
- You can use salted or unsalted butter. If you choose the latter, I’d also add a pinch of salt.
- You can also use either or dark .
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve pecan pie cake?
There’s nothing better than a slice of Southern pecan pie cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But it also tastes great on its own or with some fresh whipped cream.
You may also like these other pecan recipes:
Butter Pecan Shortbread Chippers
Candied Pecans Recipe: Family and Friends Favorite
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake or butter cake mix
- 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine, I don’t judge
- 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
- Mix cake mix, 1 egg, and melted butter until well blended. Reserve 2/3 cup of this batter.1 box yellow cake or butter cake mix, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter
- Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Spread the remaining cake batter into this pan and bake at 325 for 15 minutes, or until just lightly browned.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the reserved 2/3 cup of batter, syrup, 3 eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and pecans.1 1/2 cups light corn syrup, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- Pour the pecan mixture on top of the cake layer and cook at 325 for 50-60 minutes, until set in the center.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes.
I make a Derby Pie that’s a lot like a pecan pie, but it has walnuts and chocolate chips in the filling. I am wondering if I could swap out the pecans for walnuts and chocolate chips? Sounds like it would be a winner?!!
Yes, sounds like a big winner!
Recipe says you need 4 eggs but when I watch video, I only see where you use 2?
Didn’t want to bore you watching the other 2 eggs get added :). The recipe is correct, add the 3 eggs remaining eggs in step number 3. I hope you LOVE it!!