Maple Pecan Cake
This post may contain affiliate links, please visit our privacy policy for details.
You don’t need to be a professional baker to enjoy this one-bowl Maple Pecan Cake! This easy-to-make cake is perfect for a cozy night in or a special occasion. The combination of maple syrup, pecans, and brown sugar creates a truly irresistible flavor that’s perfect for the fall season.
After sharing our recipe for chewy maple pecan cookies, a lot of our readers reached out to us on Facebook and Instagram to ask for more maple pecan recipes! We love all things maple and pecan, especially trying the combo for the first time with our maple pecan scones.
We took some inspiration from our cinnamon maple pecan pie and created this cake!
Flavors of sweet maple, nutty pecan, and a hint of warming cinnamon make this the perfect autumn dessert.
Maple Pecan Cake Details:
Like many of our cake recipes, this one is adapted from our beloved basic vanilla cake. It’s a crowd-pleaser known for its perfect crumb, fluffy texture, and delightful moisture. I’ve used this base to create a variety of flavors, including pumpkin caramel, pistachio, cookies and cream, banana pineapple, coconut, pecan pie, and now this maple pecan cake!
- Texture: Thanks to a careful balance of ingredients, each bite is tender, springy, and perfectly moist. Following the recipe closely is essential for achieving recipe success.
- Flavor: Calling all maple and pecan lovers! This cake celebrates the delicious pairing of these two classic flavors. The rich maple syrup complements the nutty crunch of pecans, creating a truly irresistible combination.
- Ease: If you’ve baked layer cakes before, this recipe should be a breeze. Even beginners can tackle this project with confidence, as stacking and frosting the cooled cakes is straightforward. I prefer to keep the decoration simple for a classic look!
- Time: Allow at least 4 hours to complete this recipe, including baking the cake, cooling it completely, and frosting/assembling. Remember to bring your cold ingredients and maple syrup to room temperature before starting!
Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar & Maple Syrup
All cakes require some form of sugar, whether that’s a natural sugar like honey, a healthier sugar like bananas, or the classic granulated or brown. This recipe uses two types of sugar (three sugars in total) to give it the flavor AND texture it needs. I know it sounds like a lot, but we’ve reduced the amount of sugar as much as possible to give the cake flavor without making it too sweet.
- Do I have to use granulated sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup? Yes, for the best results, we strongly recommend using all three. During testing, we found that the cake did not have nearly enough flavor otherwise.
- Can I just use whatever maple syrup I have? If you have pure, 100% maple syrup, then sure! But any other maple syrup (or imitation syrup) will not work in this recipe.
- Where can I find pure maple syrup? In most grocery stores, you should be able to find it in the cereal aisle with the other syrups..
- Can I use maple sugar instead? We have not tested this recipe with maple sugar and we recommend following the recipe as-written.
You will also use maple syrup and brown sugar in the frosting. For the most flavor AND to ensure the creamiest and silkiest buttercream, you will want to dissolve your brown sugar in the maple syrup. The buttercream is certainly sweet, but we are adding some salt to help offset the sweetness!
The Cake Only Needs One Bowl
There is no need to grab out the electric mixer just yet. The cake comes together with just a mixing bowl and a whisk! Note that the batter is very liquidy. I recommend using a scale and a ladle to get each cake layer the same size.
Maple Brown Sugar Frosting Success Tips
The frosting does require a little bit of prep, but don’t fret! Here are some of our best tips to making the frosting.
- Dissolve the brown sugar: To avoid having a gritty buttercream, we are heating the maple syrup and brown sugar together to make sure that the frosting is silky smooth.
- Sift the powdered sugar: You don’t want lumps in frosting!
- Use room temperature butter: The key to perfect buttercream is room temperature (70℉/21℃) butter.
Frosting The Cake
The buttercream yields just enough for filling the cake, frosting the exterior, and some simple piping around the top. You can finish the cake with some chopped pecans to add some extra crunch, as well as just add a decorative element. Though, feel free to skip it!
If you need a more in-depth tutorial on how to frost your cake, check out our comprehensive guide on how to frost a layer cake.
More Pumpkin Recipes:
When you make this Maple Pecan Cake, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Happy baking!
x, Caylie
Maple Pecan Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 9 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅔ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 ounces maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅝ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 350℉/177℃.
- Spray three 6-inch cake pans with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk milk, eggs, oil, syrup, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.
- Whisk until dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Fold in pecans.
- Divide evenly among prepared pans.
- Bake for 23 minutes, or until cake tests done.
Frosting
- Combine brown sugar and maple syrup in a small microwave safe bowl.
- Heat in 15 second increments, stirring after each, until sugar is melted. Set aside.
- Combine butter, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater.
- Beat until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add cooled maple syrup mixture and vanilla.
- Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Assembly
- Level cakes, if needed.
- Place one cake layer on serving board or plate.
- Spread ¼ of the frosting on top of cake layer.
- Top with second layer.
- Repeat frosting.
- Top with third layer.
- Spread remaining frosting around sides and on top of cake.
- Decorate as desired.
Notes + Tips!
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Similarly, the frosting can be prepared, covered, and refrigerated overnight. When ready to decorate, let the frosting sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to slightly soften before placing it in your mixer and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. If needed, add a splash of milk to thin out the frosting! Both the frosted cake and unfrosted layers can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. To thaw, place the cake in the refrigerator overnight and bring it to room temperature before decorating or serving.
- Room Temperature: All refrigerated ingredients should be at room temperature (70℉/21℃) so the cake batter and the frosting mixes together easily and evenly.
Tools You May Need (affiliate links)
– Still Hungry? –
Here are a few recipes may like!
Hi – can this be made with 7 or 8 inch tins instead? If so, how would I adjust the measurements? Thanks!
Hi Jane! You can make it in any size cake pan you wish. If you are using a 7″ pan, I would suggest increasing the ingredients by about 35%. If you are using an 8″ pan, increase by around 75%-80%. If you decide to go with a 9″, you can just double the recipe. There’s a button to scale up the recipe in the recipe card. Let me know if you have any other questions.