Introduction

Hey there, sweet friend! Sometimes, all you need is a warm, comforting slice of cake that feels like a hug. This Pecan Upside Down Cake? Oh, it’s exactly that and more. It reminds me of lazy Sunday afternoons and the smell of something delicious baking in the oven. You know the feeling – that anticipation of a truly special treat.

Now, I know “upside down cake” might sound a little fancy or complicated, but trust me, this recipe is incredibly easy. We’re talking simple ingredients, straightforward steps, and a result that looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. It’s quick enough for a weeknight craving but impressive enough for company. Get ready to fall in love with this simple, sweet classic!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Seriously, you can have this mixed up and in the oven quicker than you might think!
Easy: No fancy techniques here, just simple baking steps.
Giftable: Wrap up a slice or a whole mini cake – it makes the sweetest gift!
Crowd-pleasing: Who doesn’t love moist cake topped with nutty, gooey caramel?

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to gather from your pantry and fridge. Most of these are probably staples!

For the Topping:
1 cup of pecan halves: The star of the show! Get good quality ones, they make a difference.
1/2 cup of unsalted butter: We’ll melt this down for the caramel layer.
1 cup of packed brown sugar: This gives us that deep, rich caramel flavor. Make sure it’s packed firmly!
1/4 cup of heavy cream: Adds richness and helps create a pourable sauce.
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract: A little warmth for the topping.
Pinch of salt: Just a tiny bit to balance the sweetness.
For the Cake:
1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour: Our cake base. Simple and reliable.
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder: Gives the cake its lift and fluffy texture.
1/2 teaspoon of salt: Enhances all the other flavors.
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened: Make sure it’s nice and soft, not melted, for creaming!
1 cup of granulated sugar: For sweetness and tenderness in the cake.
2 large eggs: Room temperature eggs blend better into the batter.
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract: Classic cake flavor!
1/2 cup of whole milk: Also best at room temperature to avoid curdling.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get baking! It’s easier than tying your shoes, I promise.

Prepare the Topping

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab a 9-inch round cake pan and give it a good buttering, then maybe a light flouring just to be safe. You really want this not to stick when we flip it later.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the first 1/2 cup of butter. Stir in the brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and that pinch of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth and bubbly, just about 1-2 minutes after it starts to bubble. Be careful not to let it scorch!

Pour this beautiful caramel mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared cake pan. Arrange the pecan halves in a single layer over the caramel. You can make a pretty pattern or just scatter them – they’ll look lovely either way!

Make the Cake Batter

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and the second 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set this aside.

In a larger bowl, using an electric mixer (or some serious arm power!), cream together the softened 1/2 cup butter and the granulated sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This takes a few minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the second teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Now, we’ll add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Then add half of the milk and mix until combined. Repeat with another third of the flour, then the rest of the milk, and finish with the last of the flour. Mix just until everything is incorporated and you don’t see any dry streaks. Be careful not to overmix!

Assemble and Bake

Carefully pour the cake batter over the pecan and caramel layer in the cake pan. Gently spread it out evenly with a spatula.

Pop the pan into your preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

The Flip!

This is the exciting part! Once the cake is done, take it out of the oven and let it sit on a wire rack for just 5-10 minutes. Don’t wait too long, or the caramel might stick!

Place a serving plate (one that’s slightly larger than the cake pan) upside down over the cake pan. Holding the pan and plate together firmly with oven mitts (it’s hot!), quickly and confidently flip the whole thing over. Lift the cake pan off carefully. Sometimes a few pecans might stick to the pan – just gently place them back onto the cake top.

Let the cake cool slightly on the plate before slicing and serving. It’s absolutely divine warm!

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling creative? Here are a few ideas to switch things up:

Different Nuts: No pecans? Walnuts would work beautifully here, or even chopped hazelnuts.
Spices: Add a pinch of cinnamon or a tiny grind of nutmeg to the cake batter for extra warmth.
Boozy Caramel: Stir a tablespoon of bourbon or rum into the caramel mixture for a sophisticated twist.
Citrus Zest: A little orange zest in the cake batter pairs wonderfully with pecans.

Tips for Success

A few little pointers to make sure your cake is perfect:

Butter Your Pan generously! I can’t stress this enough. You want that caramel to slide right out.
Don’t Overmix the Batter: Overmixing develops gluten and can make your cake tough. Mix just until combined.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature butter, eggs, and milk helps everything emulsify properly for a smoother, more tender cake.
Flip at the Right Time: Waiting too long (more than 10-15 mins) can cause the caramel to cool and stick. Flipping too early means the cake might collapse. 5-10 minutes is usually the sweet spot.
How to Tell It’s Done: A toothpick in the center of the cake (not just the edge) should come out clean.

How to Store It

If you somehow manage to have leftovers, this cake stores well!

Let the cake cool completely. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you need it to last longer, you can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can gently warm up individual slices in the microwave if you like that gooey caramel texture again.

FAQs

Got questions? Let’s tackle a couple.

Why is it called an “upside down” cake?

Because you bake it with the topping on the bottom, and then you flip it over after baking so the delicious topping ends up on the top!

Can I make this in a different size pan?

A 9-inch round is standard. An 8-inch pan would make a taller cake and likely need a few extra minutes of baking time. A square pan of similar volume (like 8×8 inch) could also work, but the baking time might vary slightly.

My caramel stuck to the pan! What went wrong?

This usually happens if the pan wasn’t buttered well enough or if you waited too long to flip the cake after taking it out of the oven. Flipping while the caramel is still warm and liquidy is key!

Cozy Pecan Upside Down Cake

This Pecan Upside Down Cake is a warm, comforting dessert that feels like a hug. Made with simple ingredients and straightforward steps, it's easy enough for a weeknight craving but impressive enough for company. It features a moist cake topped with a nutty, gooey caramel layer.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 30

Equipment

9-inch round cake pan Buttered and floured
Small saucepan
Medium bowl For dry ingredients
Large bowl For wet ingredients/batter
Electric mixer Optional, can use arm power
Spatula
Wire rack For cooling
Serving plate Slightly larger than cake pan
Oven mitts For flipping

Ingredients

For the Topping

1 cup pecan halves The star of the show! Get good quality ones, they make a difference.
0.5 cup unsalted butter We'll melt this down for the caramel layer.
1 cup packed brown sugar This gives us that deep, rich caramel flavor. Make sure it's packed firmly!
0.25 cup heavy cream Adds richness and helps create a pourable sauce.
0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract A little warmth for the topping.
1 pinch salt Just a tiny bit to balance the sweetness.

For the Cake

1.5 cups all-purpose flour Our cake base. Simple and reliable.
1.5 teaspoons baking powder Gives the cake its lift and fluffy texture.
0.5 teaspoon salt Enhances all the other flavors.
0.5 cup unsalted butter Make sure it's nice and soft, not melted, for creaming!
1 cup granulated sugar For sweetness and tenderness in the cake.
2 large eggs Room temperature eggs blend better into the batter.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Classic cake flavor!
0.5 cup whole milk Also best at room temperature to avoid curdling.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab a 9-inch round cake pan and give it a good buttering, then maybe a light flouring just to be safe. You really want this not to stick when we flip it later.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the first 1/2 cup of butter.
Stir in the brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and that pinch of salt.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth and bubbly, just about 1-2 minutes after it starts to bubble. Be careful not to let it scorch!
Pour this beautiful caramel mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared cake pan.
Arrange the pecan halves in a single layer over the caramel. You can make a pretty pattern or just scatter them – they'll look lovely either way!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and the second 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set this aside.
In a larger bowl, using an electric mixer (or some serious arm power!), cream together the softened 1/2 cup butter and the granulated sugar until it's light and fluffy. This takes a few minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in the second teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Now, we'll add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
Then add half of the milk and mix until combined.
Repeat with another third of the flour, then the rest of the milk, and finish with the last of the flour.
Mix just until everything is incorporated and you don't see any dry streaks. Be careful not to overmix!
Carefully pour the cake batter over the pecan and caramel layer in the cake pan. Gently spread it out evenly with a spatula.
Pop the pan into your preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once the cake is done, take it out of the oven and let it sit on a wire rack for just 5-10 minutes. Don't wait too long, or the caramel might stick!
Place a serving plate (one that's slightly larger than the cake pan) upside down over the cake pan.
Holding the pan and plate together firmly with oven mitts (it's hot!), quickly and confidently flip the whole thing over.
Lift the cake pan off carefully. Sometimes a few pecans might stick to the pan – just gently place them back onto the cake top.
Let the cake cool slightly on the plate before slicing and serving. It's absolutely divine warm!

Notes

Store cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can be gently warmed in the microwave.