Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Cake (Printable)
Moist cinnamon-swirled cake with a pecan crunch topping, ideal for breakfast or afternoon snacking.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pecan Crunch Topping
01 - 1 cup chopped pecans
02 - 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
04 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Cake Batter
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1 cup sour cream
14 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan, ensuring even coverage on all surfaces.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and set aside.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Blend in the sour cream and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
06 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture using a spatula, stirring just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
07 - Spread half of the batter evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the pecan topping over the batter layer. Spread the remaining batter on top and finish with the rest of the topping.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
09 - Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing into squares and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sour cream keeps every slice impossibly moist for days, so you can bake it on Sunday and still enjoy it Wednesday morning without it drying out.
- Layering the topping in the middle and on top means every single bite has that warm cinnamon pecan crunch running through it.
02 -
- I once sliced into this cake while it was still piping hot and watched the topping slide right off in a messy avalanche, so patience during cooling is genuinely worth it.
- Using cold sour cream straight from the fridge can cause the butter to seize and leave you with tiny lumps throughout the batter.
03 -
- The single biggest improvement I ever made to this cake was stopping the moment the dry ingredients disappeared into the batter, because every extra stir was stealing tenderness from the final crumb.
- Dot the top layer of the crunch topping with a few extra pecan halves before baking for a bakery style look that takes zero extra effort.