Description
This Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake is a delightful treat perfect for breakfast or brunch. Featuring a tender, moist cake layered with a spiced pecan filling and a buttery cinnamon-sugar drizzle, this recipe combines buttery richness with crunchy pecans and warm cinnamon flavor. Baked to golden perfection, it’s ideal served warm alongside your favorite coffee or with a dollop of whipped cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1¼ cups light brown sugar
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
- 2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup melted butter
Cake Batter
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups scooped all-purpose flour (or 3 cups spooned and leveled, about 360–375 g)
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish thoroughly. Gather and measure all ingredients to streamline the baking process.
- Make Filling: In a bowl, combine the light brown sugar, chopped pecans, and ground cinnamon. Set this mixture aside to use as the flavorful, crunchy filling layer for the cake.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step incorporates air for a tender crumb. Then, beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Prepare Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately into the creamed butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix gently and stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain to prevent the cake from becoming dense.
- Assemble: Spread half of the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of the pecan-cinnamon filling evenly over the batter. Repeat with the remaining batter and topping, creating two layers of batter separated by the pecan filling.
- Butter Drizzle: Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the assembled cake. This will bake to a crisp, caramelized topping adding a lovely texture contrast.
- Bake: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, tent the cake loosely with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. This coffee cake pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or a dollop of whipped cream for extra indulgence.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep the cake light and fluffy.
- If brown sugar is packed tightly, lightly fluff it before measuring for better texture.
- For an extra flavor boost, consider toasting the pecans lightly before adding to the filling.
- If the pecan filling feels too thick, you can add a teaspoon of melted butter for better spreadability.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- This cake can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm before serving.
