Pecan Cream Pound Cake with THE BEST Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

A decadent Southern pound cake recipe made with sour cream and pecans topped with an ultra creamy pecan-studded cream cheese frosting that will have folks begging for the recipe!

JUMP TO RECIPE

If you want to win the cotillion bake sale, outshine your sister-in-law at Sunday dinner or otherwise prove your Southern baking prowess, this is the recipe for you!

If you want to be the one that’s known for THE BEST pecan cream cheese frosting in six counties and hear whispers of what does she put in that frosting?? when you leave the room, this is the recipe for you!

If you just love delicious, decadent cake and want to eat some, this… is the recipe for you!

This is pretty-much my pound cake recipe plus pecans and sour cream topped with the most amazing, creamy, delicious cream cheese frosting that ever existed.

There are a few things about this recipe that make it so special. This isn’t a whip-it-up fast recipe but the end result is totally worth the effort!

I'll outline a few things below and put all my tips in one easy-to-read bullet list.

IS IT NECESSARY TO TOAST THE PECANS FOR THE FROSTING?

100% yes, in my opinion, though it is technically optional (but please do, you’ll be so happy you did!). When we toast pecans (or any nuts) the heat releases the oils from the nuts which makes the flavor more intense and delicious.

WHY DON’T WE TOAST THE PECANS FOR THE CAKE?

I don’t include a step to toast the pecans in the cake portion of the recipe because the pecans will heat up and cook when the cake bakes which will release the natural oils and flavors. You can toast the pecans for the cake but taking the pecans one step over the threshold from perfectly toasty and delicious to over-cooked and burned can make them taste rancid. I’d haaaate for that to happen to your beautiful cake so I just don’t include that step.

TIPS & FAQ ABOUT PECAN POUND CAKE AND CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• Use real, salted butter 
• Make sure ALL of the ingredients are at room temperature (between 67-73 degrees is ideal). Don’t melt the butter or try to help it along in the microwave because it will more than likely become too soft.
• "Creaming" the butter and sugar is a very important step in most cakes, especially pound cakes, so take care to follow the recipe instructions carefully.
• Do toast the pecans for the frosting.

• Don’t use reduced fat or fat-free sour cream, butter or half-and-half.
• Grease your pan well with shortening or butter and be sure to flour it as well. Don’t use regular cooking spray instead of shortening or butter (though a baking cooking spray that includes flour is a fine replacement for this step).
• If you can’t find butter nut flavored extract (you must not live around here! jk… but seriously, it’s everywhere here) just use additional vanilla extract or something similar. If you luck up and find pecan flavored extract, go for it!
• I can tell you, I don’t like almond extract with this. If you took the recipe in a whole other direction and used almonds instead of pecans, then sure, but almond extract and pecans just don’t taste good together to me.

• You don’t have to frost this cake. All pound cakes are (should be) already rich and moist so they don’t technically need anything but I’m telling ya, this frosting will rock your world.
• This frosting is amazing on other cakes as well. Try it on Red Velvet Cake (I can’t because my family would disown me if I made red velvet cake with anything other than ermine frosting but I know lots of folks like the combo), chocolate cake, carrot cake, hummingbird cake, Italian cream cake or whatever you like!

Recipe for Pecan Cream Pound Cake with THE BEST Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my

DEEP DISH PECAN CREAM PIE!

Pecan Cream Pound Cake with THE BEST Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 12 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 15 MTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

A decadent Southern pound cake recipe made with sour cream and pecans topped with an ultra creamy pecan-studded cream cheese frosting that will have folks begging for the recipe!

Ingredients

Pecan Cream Pound Cake

• 1 1/4 cups real butter at room temp
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs at room temp
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon butter nut flavored extract (optional, see notes)
• 2 cups chopped pecans

THE BEST Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 8-oz package cream cheese at room temp
• 1/4 cup real butter (1/2 stick) at room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Hefty pinch of salt
• 1 1-lb box powdered sugar

Instructions

Pecan Cream Pound Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan; set aside.
2. "Creaming" is a very important step in most cakes, especially pound cakes, so take care to follow these instructions carefully: In a large bowl or stand mixer beat butter at medium speed for 1 full minute.
3. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed, until light, fluffy and very pale yellow in color (about 5 minutes). When the mixture has almost doubled in size, everything's been properly creamed.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
5. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl; set aside.
6. Combine sour cream, half-and-half and extracts then mix well; set aside.
7. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream mixture to mixing bowl with butter/sugar, mixing at low speed until combined, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
8. Fold in pecans.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool cake in pan, then invert onto a serving plate. Frost with THE BEST Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting. Cover and refrigerate up to 4-5 days. Allow cake to come to room temperature before serving for best results.

THE BEST Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

1. OPTIONAL but completely, totally and absolutely worth it: Toast pecans in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and slightly browned. Remove pecans from skillet to cool completely.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy and well combined.
3. Add vanilla extract, salt and powdered sugar then continue mixing on low speed until smooth and creamy.
4. Frost cake then refrigerate to store. Allow frosted cake to set out a few hours before serving if possible for the best taste!

Notes

• If you can’t find butter nut flavored extract, simply use vanilla extract or butter flavored extract instead.
• You can use heavy cream or whole milk in place of the half-and-half if needed.
• Also see the TIPS & FAQ section above.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2020/08/pecan-cream-pound-cake-with-best-pecan.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2020

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