Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Cake (Printable Version)
Moist cinnamon pecan crunch bake with tender sour cream crumb, layered with brown sugar and toasted nuts.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crunch Topping and Filling
01 - 1 cup chopped pecans
02 - ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
04 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
05 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Cake Batter
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1½ tsp baking powder
08 - ½ tsp baking soda
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1½ tsp vanilla extract
14 - 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or a 9-inch round springform pan and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the chopped pecans, packed light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, flour, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until pale, light, and fluffy.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully blended.
06 - Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the sour cream to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Fold gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Spread half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon pecan crunch mixture uniformly over the surface.
08 - Carefully spread the remaining batter over the pecan layer, then top with the rest of the crunch mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
09 - Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
10 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before slicing into portions and serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The double layer of cinnamon pecan crunch means every single bite has that warm spiced texture, not just the top.
- Sour cream keeps the crumb incredibly tender for days, so it tastes just as good on Tuesday as it did straight from the oven on Sunday.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour is the fastest way to turn this tender cake dense and rubbery, so stop stirring the moment everything looks combined.
- The middle layer of crunch tends to sink if your batter is too thin, so make sure your sour cream is not excessively runny or watered down.
03 -
- The crunch topping can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, which saves time and actually helps it hold its shape better during baking.
- If you want cleaner slices, chill the cake for an hour before cutting and use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion.