Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Cake (Printable version)
Moist cinnamon-swirled cake crowned with a pecan crunch topping, ideal for breakfast or dessert.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Crunch Topping
01 - 1 cup chopped pecans (120 g)
02 - 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (135 g)
03 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
04 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (57 g)
→ Cake Batter
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
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 (113 g)
11 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1 cup sour cream (240 ml)
14 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the chopped pecans, packed light brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose 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 until pale, light, and fluffy.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth.
06 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
07 - Spread half of the batter evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the crunch 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 a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The sour cream keeps this cake absurdly moist for days, so it honestly tastes even better on day two.
- That pecan crunch topping gets golden and caramelized in a way that makes people think you spent way more time than twenty minutes prepping.
02 -
- I once pulled the cake out five minutes early because the edges looked done and the center collapsed, so trust the toothpick test over appearance alone.
- Adding half a cup of chocolate chips to the batter sounds unusual with cinnamon but it is genuinely wonderful and I now do it every time.
03 -
- Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly, the first layer especially needs to reach all four corners so your cake bakes uniformly.
- Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing it into the topping so it does not melt the brown sugar into a paste.