Pecan Pie Cake with Browned Butter Frosting
For those who have a hard time choosing between a frosted layer cake and a pecan pie, this dessert has your name on it. Show-stopping? Absolutely. Crowd-pleasing? You bet. The fragrance and taste of this pecan pie cake will transport you back to Grandma's kitchen. Tart and creamy buttermilk, the secret ingredient in many baked goods, helps create the tender cake layers which are filled and topped with a rich pecan pie filling, then enveloped with a creamy browned butter frosting. Here are some tips from the Test Kitchen that will help you create a dessert that will have your guests begging for a second slice. When making your cake batter, beat the egg whites only until stiff peaks form - don't overbeat. Then gently fold them into the batter. The egg whites help make the cake layers light and tender. When browning your butter, be sure and immediately pour it into a small glass bowl to prevent the butter from becoming too dark and burning in the pan. Lastly, if your pecan pie filling won't easily spread, use a spatula to "work it" in the bowl to loosen it up and make it more malleable.