Pecan Upside Down Cake Recipe

ByRose Atwater
0 Comments
Jump to Recipe

Share this post:

There’s nothing quite like the flavors of Pecan Pie in a soft, delicious yellow cake. This Pecan Upside Down Cake has a crunchy, spiced pecan topping over a moist, vanilla cake underneath. It’s the perfect treat when you’re craving a homemade cake without the fuss layers and frosting. Serve this southern-inspired buttery cake warm with a scoop of ice cream or at room temperature with a cup of coffee. 

pecan upside down cake with a square cut out

Pecan Upside-Down Cake

Up until recently, my only experience with “upside down” cakes was Pineapple Upside Down Cake. This upside down pecan cake is a little bit like that, but not. 

This Pecan Upside Down Cake is an almost-perfect dessert. A buttery, brown sugar and cinnamon mixture with the chopped pecans and coconut over the top of the soft buttermilk cake. 

Pecan Cake

Baked in a simple 8×8-inch pan, it’s an easy, old-fashioned single layer cake that looks delicious when flipped out and has the flavors of a classic pecan pie. Everyone is going to love this simple, tender cake with the crunchy pieces of pecans on top!

Perfect for holiday season, potlucks, or Sunday dinners, this fluffy cake combines the crunch of pecans, the sweetness of brown sugar and coconut, and the comfort of homemade cake for a dessert that feels like a Southern classic straight from Grandma’s kitchen.

Video

Tools Needed 

Here’s a short list of everything you’ll need ot make this Pecan Upside Down Cake Recipe.

Ingredients 

Most of these ingredients are pantry staples! 

pecan upside down cake ingredients on a white surface - each ingredient in an individual bowl

Topping

Salted Butter (unsalted butter would work as well)
Light Brown Sugar
Ground cinnamon
Salt
Pecans. chopped
Shredded, sweetened coconut

Vanilla Cake Batter

Flour
Baking soda
Salt
Butter, softened
Granulated sugar
Vanilla extract
Eggs
Buttermilk or Buttermilk Substitute

Find the complete recipe with ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

pecan upside down cake cut into squares

How to Make Pecan Upside Down Cake

I know it looks like a lot of steps, but this really is an easy pecan cake recipe! 

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Prepare your pan with nonstick baking spray.
  2. For the topping, add butter to an 8×8 inch pan, and put it in the preheated oven until the butter melts (remove after melted and set aside).
  3. For the cake, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
stick of butter in 8x8 pan
dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl
  1. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  2. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until well combined.
  3. Beat in half the buttermilk.
butter and sugar in a mixing bowl
eggs added to butter and sugar mixture
vanilla added to butter, eggs and sugar
buttermilk poured over butter mixture
  1. Add half the flour mixture and stir to combine.
  2. Repeat with second half of buttermilk and second half of flour mixture.
  3. Returning to the melted butter in the baking pan, add brown sugar, and mix it into the melted butter.
half the flour mixture added to batter
remaining buttermilk added to bowl
remaining flour added to batter bowl
brown sugar added to melted butter in 8x8 pan
  1. Layer pecans, coconut, cinnamon, and salt on top of the butter mixture in the bottom of the pan.
  2. Pour batter over the top of the pecan mixture.
  3. Bake in center of oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  4. Remove from oven and loosen edges of the cake from the sides of the pan with a butter knife or spatula.
coconut and pecans over the butter in the pan
cinnamon over the top of the coconut and pecans
batter over pecan mixture in the pan
baked pecan upside down cake still in the cake pan
  1. Invert over a large pan or serving plate to let the pecan cake cool. You may want to line the pan with parchment paper while it cools before moving to the final serving plate.
  2. Serve and enjoy!
pecan upside down cake on parchment on a cooling rack

asdf

 Pro Tips

  • Use room temperature ingredients! They mix together more easily and help your cake bake up light, fluffy, and evenly every time.
  • Easier cleanup. Use a disposable pan for easier cleanup of your Pecan Pie Cake or if you’re taking this cake to a work party or potluck!
  • Use Toasted Pecans and Toasted Coconut. Lightly toast your pecans in a dry skillet before making the topping. This brings out their natural oils and amplifies their nutty flavor for a richer topping. Check out this recipe for toasted coconut!
upside down pecan pie cake with a couple of slices cut out (above head shot)

Serving Suggestions

This delicious cake is perfect all on its own, but with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s almost irresistible! 

For an even more impressive dessert, drizzle some caramel sauce over the top of the Pecan Pie Upside Down Cake and/or the Ice Cream.

slice of pecan upside-down cake

More Delicious Desserts

clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
pecan upside down cake

Pecan Upside Down Cake Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Rose Atwater
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 9 slices 1x
Print Recipe

Description

There’s nothing quite like the flavors of Pecan Pie in a soft, delicious yellow cake. This Pecan Upside Down Cake has a crunchy, spiced pecan topping over a moist, vanilla cake underneath. It’s the perfect treat when you’re craving a homemade cake without the fuss layers and frosting. Serve this southern inspired buttery cake warm with a scoop of ice cream or at room temperature with a cup of coffee. 

Ingredients

Scale

Topping:

  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pecans
  • 2/3 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

 Cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  2. For the topping, add butter to an 8×8-inch pan, and put it in the preheating oven to melt (remove after melted and set aside).
  3. For the cake, combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  5. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until well combined.
  6. Beat in half the buttermilk.
  7. Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
  8. Repeat with second half of buttermilk and second half of flour mixture.
  9. Returning to the melted butter in the baking pan, add brown sugar, and mix into the butter.
  10. Layer pecans, coconut, cinnamon, and salt on top of the butter sugar mixture.
  11. Pour cake batter over the top of the pecan mixture.
  12. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  13. Remove from oven and loosen edges of cake from the sides with a butter knife or spatula.
  14. Invert over a large pan or plate to cool.
  15. Serve & enjoy!
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @rosebakes on Instagram and hashtag it #rosebakes

Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

More Delicious Recipes

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star