Pecan Praline Cake

Cajun cuisine is mostly known for its boiled crawfish and pungent spices but it has a sweet side too. And nothing is sweeter than a praline! The original French praline was made with almonds or hazelnut but south of the Mason-Dixon is where pecan trees are more plentiful and in Louisiana it’s pure cane sugar all the way. Add some cream to that and you pass a good time, cher

 Praline has since become a popular flavor for ice cream, but it makes a great cake as well. You can serve it for dessert or a tea party or coffee klatch. If you make it for a bake sale, it’s sure to raise top dollar! 

This old fashioned pecan praline cake recipe is just what you’re looking for if you like crunchy pecans mixed with a sticky sweet glaze. It’s an easy pecan praline cake from scratch, meaning you scratch open a box of cake mix! Though a convenient cake mix is utilized, it’s the addition of pecans that make this feel more like a homemade pecan praline cake dessert. This cake is easy to make and the intense flavor is phenomenal. As Justin Wilson would say “Dats some good cake, I gar-on-tee!” 

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• You’re baking pecan praline cake at home using a cake mix, but adding a little something extra. 
• No need to frost the cake. This is a pecan praline cake with frosting mixed in. 
• It’s a unique cake sure to please anyone who loves crunchy nuts. 
• The glaze adds sweetness while keeping the cake moist. 

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Pecan: The pecan and the tree it comes from is an important symbol of many Southern states. They also symbolize prosperity, abundance and overcoming hardship. The rich, buttery flavor of this nut goes well with a creamy caramel glaze. You can use other nuts, but it won’t be a traditional Louisiana praline. 

Yellow Cake Mix: This is what makes the recipe so easy. All your dry ingredients are measured and mixed. You can use a butter pecan flavored recipe for extra pecan flavor. Also, while oil and water will give you an OK cake, you can make a superb cake by swapping milk for water and melted butter (cooled to room temperature) for the oil. 

Sweetened Condensed Milk:This is what will give the caramel glaze a creamy consistency that is associated with pralines. Except no substitute. 

Coconut Pecan Frosting: You don’t put this on the cake. It gets mixed in with the cake batter! This will make the cake sweet and moist. 

How to make Pecan Praline Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Combine oil, water and eggs with cake mix as directed on the box until moist and smooth. Make sure the eggs are well beaten to ensure consistency.

Adding the butter recipe yellow cake mix and coconut pecan frosting.

Adding the water.

Adding the oil.

Adding the eggs.

Adding the finely chopped pecans.

Add a tub of coconut pecan frosting and half a cup of finely chopped pecans. Once everything is well combined, pour the cake batter into a well greased 9×13 baking dish. Greasing the baking dish will keep the cake from sticking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until it is browned and cooked through.

While the cake is baking, you can make the glaze on the stovetop by combining a can of sweetened condensed milk with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

 Once the butter is melted, stir in a cup of pecan halves

You can pour this glaze mixture over a still warm cake but let it cool to room temperature before serving. 

Step 8. Let the cake cool to room temperature before serving.

Slice and ready to enjoy!

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Tips for Success

For best results, have all the ingredients be room temperature before baking. This especially goes if you substitute melted butter for oil. You don’t want the eggs to cook before the cake is even baked! The eggs should be room temperature too. This will make it easier for everything to emulsify. 

Mix just until everything is well blended. You don’t want to overdo it or underdo it. A well incorporated batter makes a good cake. 

You can test if a cake is done by sticking it with a toothpick or dry spaghetti strand and seeing if anything sticks to it. You can also test by lightly pressing down on the cake and seeing if it bounces back into place. 

Storage and Reheating

The cake can be stored at room temperature for 24 hours if wrapped tightly. If wrapped tightly, it can keep in the refrigerator for three days. If you don’t glaze the cake, it can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for 3 months. The sweetened condensed milk in the glaze makes the cake a bit fragile. Fortunately, it’s so delicious that it’s unlikely to be around long enough to go bad! Do keep leftovers tightly covered to keep it from going bad. 

Serving Suggestions

This cake is great for a tea party or a coffee klatch. If you’d like to serve a tea that’s a bit on the exotic side, try this Hokkaido milk tea for a day when you don’t feel like drinking anything hot. Hokkaido Milk Tea – Sweet Pea’s Kitchen 

This pecan praline cake is a great dessert after a spicy and hearty Cajun dinner. Cajun Shrimp in Foil – Sweet Pea’s Kitchen 

FAQs

Can I make this ahead of time?

It’s an easy cake to make, but it would be fine if you cooked it a day in advance. 

Can I use other nuts?

It won’t strictly be Louisiana style pecan praline, but you do you. 

Notes:

I’m originally a Texas gal but now I live in Louisiana. Both states are known for spicy food, but I always preferred sweets. In Texas, pecans are generally used with Karo syrup to make pies. In Louisiana, they’re mixed up with a fudgey soft syrup made of cream that has a slight caramel flavor to it. The confection is called praline and is as much a part of Cajun cuisine as gumbo and boudin. Serve it at a Fais do-do and you’re sure to hear “Ça c’est bon!”