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PECAN PIE CAKE (Serves 20)

One of the best Southern desserts is the pecan pie, made with pecans, butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.  This recipe blends pie and cake into one, relying on the cake mix for the structure and the basic pecan pie ingredients for flavor.  Cut it into gooey squares and serve it on Sundays after lunch, like they do in the Georgia pecan country.  For a dressy variation, drizzle melted semisweet chocolate over the top before slicing.

1 package plain yellow cake mix

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

4 large eggs

1½ cups light corn syrup

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups chopped pecans (toasted for 4-5 minutes in a 350 degree oven)

Vanilla ice cream for serving

  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Place the cake mix, melted butter, and 1 egg in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1-2 minutes or until well combined and thick.  Measure out 2/3 cup of the batter and reserve.  Pat the remaining batter into the bottom of an ungreased 9” x 13” baking pan and place it in the oven.
  3. Bake until the crust is light brown and puffs up – about 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a rack to cool for 10 minutes.  Leave the oven on.
  4. Place the reserved crust mixture, corn syrup, dark brown sugar, remaining 3 eggs, and vanilla in the same large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the batter is well combined and the crust mixture has blended – about 1 more minute.  Fold in the pecans until they are well distributed.
  5. Pour the pecan mixture on top of the crust mixture, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula.  Return the pan to the oven.
  6. Bake the cake until the edges are browned but the center is still a little soft – about 40-45 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a rack for 30 minutes.  Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.