Pecan Spice Cake with Caramel-Rum Glaze Recipe

With only 30 minutes of hands-on time, this is the easiest holiday cake recipe that will still look beautiful on the dessert table. Substitute extra cream for rum in the sauce, if you like. For a thicker glaze, add the whole 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, whisking constantly, as the glaze begins to cool in the pan. For a sheer, saucy glaze, use less powdered sugar.

Pecan Spice Cake with Caramel-Rum Glaze
Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Hands On Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs
Yield:
12 servings

Ingredients

CAKE

  • 2 cups butter, softened

  • 3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 6 large eggs

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 2 cups toasted chopped pecans

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • Shortening

GLAZE

  • 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • 1 tablespoon rum

  • 1/2 to 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Prepare Cake: Preheat oven to 325°. Beat 2 cups butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add 3 cups brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time; beat until blended after each addition.

  2. Stir together flour and next 5 ingredients. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Spoon batter into a greased (with shortening) and floured 15-cup Bundt pan.

  3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely.

  4. Prepare Glaze: Bring 1/4 cup brown sugar and next 3 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and whisk in rum. Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar; whisk until smooth. Gradually add more powdered sugar, whisking constantly, until desired thickness is reached. Drizzle glaze over cake.

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