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This is the most amazing and easy Pecan Pie Upside Down Cake and it has all of the flavors of a classic pecan pie! It has a delicious moist brown butter cinnamon cake with a delicious chewy pecan caramel topping. If you love pecan pie then you’ll love the cake. It’s the perfect fall cake and it doesn't require any mixers. Serve it with a cup of coffee or tea for a cosy treat at home or for any gathering.
This Pecan Upside Down Cake recipe is for all pecan pie fans and is a perfect treat as an afternoon snack! This brown butter cinnamon cake is an incredible soft and fluffy cake and it is topped with caramelized pecans. It is super easy to make, and doesn't doesn't require any mixers, it can be all mixed by hand. It is the perfect cake to serve for Thanksgiving or during the holiday season.
For more fall recipes, try Cinnamon Cheesecake, The Best Pumpkin Cupcakes and Apple Crumble Cheesecake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Cinnamon cake: This cake is super moist and easy to make and has a delicious cinnamon flavor. It only needs a hand whisk to be whisked together.
- Brown butter: The cake has brown butter for extra amout of flavor.
- Pecan caramel topping: The cake is topped with a delicious chewy pecan caramel topping
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cake. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Sugar: The granualted sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the cake.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the cake, so it has light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate cake.
- Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
- Sour cream: Sour cream gives lots of moister to the cake, as well as helps give the cake a great structure.
- Butter: The butter is used in the cake, and browned for extra flavor.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake this Pecan Pie Upside Down Cake. This recipe doesn't need an electric mixer. Just one large bowls, a whisk and a spatula.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and grease a 20 cm cake pan with butter and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
STEP 1: Start by chopping the pecans and set them aside. Then in a medium sized saucepan, add the dark brown sugar, light corn syrup, butter and vanilla extract. Melt it together over medium-high heat until the butter and sugar has melted.
STEP 2: Pour it into the prepared pan and then divide the chopped pecans over it in an even layer. Set it aside while making the cake.
STEP 3: Then brown the butter over medium heat in a frying pan. Once browned, pour it into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar and with a hand whisk, whisk it together until combined.
STEP 4: Add both eggs and whisk until combined. Then add half of the dry ingredients and whisk it together until combined. Add the sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
STEP 5: Pour the cake batter over the pecans and spread the cake batter into an even layer. Bake it for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
STEP 6: Let the cake cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, drag a knife along the edge of the cake and then place a serving plate on top of the baking pan and flip it upside down. It's still warm so be careful. Some of the pecan might be left in the pan or fall to the side. Add it on top of the cake with rubber spatula, to not miss any of it.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, it can be switched out 1:1 with plain Greek yogurt.
Yes, absolutely. I recommend serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I recommend using a cake tester or toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
HOW TO STORE
Store the cake in an airtight container or covered with cling film at room temperature for up to a day but if stored for longer it should go in the refrigerator. It's best enjoyed within a 2-3 days.
Other Fall Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Pecan Pie Upside Down Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
PECAN TOPPING
- 150 g pecans
- 90 g dark brown sugar
- 65 g light corn syrup or glucose syrup, honey or agave
- 90 g butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CINNAMON CAKE
- 170 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 110 g butter
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 120 g sour cream room temperature
- 30 g vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
PECAN TOPPING
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and line a 20 cm/8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Start by chopping the pecans and set them aside.150 g pecans
- Then in a medium sized saucepan, add the dark brown sugar, light corn syrup, butter and vanilla extract. Melt it together over medium-high heat until the butter and sugar has melted.90 g dark brown sugar, 65 g light corn syrup, 90 g butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour it into the prepared pan and then divide the chopped pecans over it in an even layer. Set it aside while making the cake.
BROWN BUTTER CINNAMON CAKE
- In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set it aside.170 g all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Then brown the butter over medium heat in a frying pan. Once browned, pour it into a mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar and with a hand whisk, whisk it together until combined.110 g butter, 150 g granulated sugar
- Add both eggs and whisk until combined. Then add half of the dry ingredients and whisk it together until combined.2 large eggs
- Add the sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.120 g sour cream, 30 g vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the cake batter over the pecans and spread the cake batter into an even layer. Bake them for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, drag a knife along the edge of the cake and then place a serving plate on top of the baking pan and flip it upside down. It's still warm so be careful. Some of the pecan might be left in the pan or fall to the side. Add it on top of the cake with a rubber spatula, to not miss any of it.
- Let it cool down before enjoying it.
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