Southern Pecan Praline Cake Recipe With ButterABy Ashton · Updated June 27, 20264.433 reviews·Total 1 hr 45 min·Serves 16Jump to Recipe Save Pin Add to Google posted by Ashton on June 27, 2026 If you’re anything like me, the words “Southern” and “Pecan” together immediately call to mind one thing: Pralines. Those sweet, nutty, gooey treats are pretty much the epitome of Southern cuisine as far as I’m concerned! So when I set out to create the perfect southern pecan praline cake, it was only natural to go all-in on pecans — chopped pecans in the batter, a warm praline topping drizzled over the cooled cake, the whole nine yards. The result is a delicious cake that is absolutely perfect for a special occasion or honestly just a random Tuesday. 🎉 Trust me, your people will flip for this one! What You Need for This Southern Praline Cake Let’s talk southern pecan praline cake ingredients! The first thing you’ll grab is a box of butter pecan cake mix — seriously, it does so much of the heavy lifting here. You can also swap in a yellow cake mix if that’s what you have on hand; the vanilla cake base works beautifully either way. To that large bowl combine cake mix with large eggs, a cup of vegetable oil (or cup canola oil works too!), and cup whole milk to get a super luscious cake batter going. Use a stand mixer or just a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Stir in a generous handful of chopped pecans and you have got your dry ingredients and wet ingredients married into one gorgeous batter. 🥣 How to Bake the Perfect Butter Pecan Praline Cake Coat your bundt pan (or a 13-inch baking dish if you want a sheet cake situation) really well with cooking spray — don’t skip this step, you guys! Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake at 30-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. A bundt pan is actually a better heat conductor than a standard cake pan, which gives you that gorgeous even bake. Let the whole cake cool completely before you even think about that glaze. Pro tip: make sure your butter is at room temperature before you start the butter pecan praline cake — it makes everything so much smoother! This easy recipe is basically foolproof, I promise. 💛 Making the Butter Pecan Glaze and Praline Icing Okay, THIS is where the magic happens, and I literally can’t even contain my excitement about it. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter — unsalted butter is my preference here — then add brown sugar, heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream), and tsp vanilla extract. Stir constantly until you get a smooth, dreamy warm praline icing. Some folks stir in a can of coconut pecan frosting — hello, betty crocker coconut pecan frosting — or even a tub of coconut pecan frosting for an extra rich, nutty vibe. You could also melt butter, add sweet cream cheese, and make a nutty pecan buttercream frosting instead. Pour that yummy sauce and pecan praline icing right over the top of the cake and watch it cascade down like a sweet butter sauce dream. 😍 Can we talk about how good this smells?! Tips for the Best Praline Cake Recipe Want the best texture of the cake? Here are my favorite tricks! Always use the flour sweep method when measuring purpose flour if you’re adding any extra to your batter — it keeps things light. Grease your baking pan generously and even line it with coconut oil for extra insurance. If you want to decorate the individual slices of cake or the whole cake for a family gathering, try edible flowers or chocolate curls on top — so stunning and so extra, I love it! 🌸 This butter pecan praline poke cake variation is also ah-mazing: just poke holes in the cooled cake and pour the glaze in before it sets. This praline cake recipe rivals any of my favorite holiday cake recipes, and it gives Kentucky Butter Cake a serious run for its money! More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love Classic 2-Pie Crust Recipe – Broken down step-by-step for beginners! Cake Mix Pumpkin Cookies – For when you don’t have time for 100% from scratch. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – For when you do! Pecan Pie Bread Pudding – Reader Favorite for 8+ years. Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake – It’s seriously amazing. Grandma’s Chocolate Trifle – I look forward to this every year. Southern Pecan Praline Cake FAQ How Do You Store Southern Pecan Praline Cake? The best way to store cake is in an airtight container, away from moisture and sunlight. If you leave your cake exposed to the open air for long periods of time, it can cause condensation to build up inside the icing. This results in soggy spots on the top layer of your delicious dessert! Not pleasant at all. So please, store your cake properly! How Do You Freeze Southern Pecan Praline Cake? To freeze cake, make sure your cake is completely cooled down first. Wrap the entire cake tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap , or place in a freezer bag and seal. Please remember to do this step carefully, as condensation will form on the inside of the wrapping paper. If you don’t wrap your cake properly it can become wet and mushy when thawed! When Will Southern Pecan Praline Cake Go Bad? Cakes that are kept in an airtight container (frosted or unfrosted) should last around 5 days after purchase. If you decide to freeze your cake, it can last anywhere from 1-2 months. More Pecan Recipes You’ll Love Pecan Praline Baked Brie Continue Reading Pecan Pie Continue Reading Pecan Pie Cobbler Cake Continue Reading Pecan Pie Dip Continue Reading Pecan Pie Cake Continue Reading Pecan Pie Bread Pudding Continue Reading Mini Pecan Pies Continue Reading Oreo Pecan Pie Bars Continue Reading Chocolate Pecan Pie Continue Reading Maple Glazed Pecans Continue Reading Double Decker Pecan Brie Pie Continue Reading Caramel Butter Pecan Cake Batter Dip Continue Reading Save this recipe for later: Save Pin Add to Google More Bundt & Pound Cake Recipes Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Continue Reading Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Continue Reading Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake Continue Reading 60 Pound Cake & Bundt Cake Recipes Continue Reading Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze Continue Reading Raspberry Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes Continue Reading Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake Continue Reading Lemon Pound Cake Continue Reading Tagalong Pound Cake Continue Reading Golden Vanilla Pound Cake Continue Reading Starbucks Pumpkin Pound Cake Continue Reading Save this recipe for later: Save Pin Add to Google I hope you enjoy this southern praline cake as much as we do! It has become THE sweet dessert in our house — a perfect make-ahead dessert for a family gathering, a bundt cake worthy of your fanciest cake stand, and honestly just as good as any Southern Pecan Pie at the holiday table. Southern pecan praline cake keeps beautifully in an airtight container, so you can absolutely bake it the day before. If you’re a pecan pralines fanatic like me, also check out this incredible Pecan Praline Baked Brie — next time you entertain, it will blow everyone’s minds! Share this recipe on social media and tag me — I want to see your gorgeous cakes! 💕 Now go melt butter, grab that box butter pecan mix, and make this happen! Related Recipes: Pecan Pie Layer Cake Pecan Pie Cobbler Cake Pecan Pie Bread Pudding Southern Pecan Praline Cake Recipe Yield: 16 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes Save this recipe for later: Save Pin Add to Google This Southern Pecan Praline Cake Recipe is extra delicious and would be a fantastic centerpiece of your Thanksgiving dessert table. Southern Butter Pecan Cake topped with an easy pecan praline sauce. Print Ingredients 1 cup vegetable oil ½ cup butter, melted 1 cup granulated sugar 2 cups brown sugar 5 eggs, room temperature 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 1 cup pecans, chopped 1 cup toffee bits For the Praline Caramel Sauce ½ cup butter 1 cup brown sugar ¼ cup heavy cream ½ teaspoon vanilla ½ cup pecans, chopped Instructions Preheat the oven to 325°F.Whisk together the oil, melted butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.Add the eggs and mix until combined.In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.Add the dry mixture and the milk to the large mixing bowl, and whisk together until the batter forms and there are no streaks of flour (some lumps are ok).Fold in the pecans and the toffee bitsPour the batter into a well greased bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.Let cool for about 30 minutes.Meanwhile, make the praline caramel sauce. Melt the butter and the brown sugar together over medium high heat. Stir in the cream. Bring mixture to a boil while stirring. Once it reaches a boil, allow it to bubble without stirring for one full minute.Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and chopped pecans.Invert the warm cake onto a plate and pour the caramel topping over. Notes This recipe could also be made in a 9x13 pan to simplify (and maximize sauce-to-cake ratio)!PS - I’ve been crushing on this bundt cake pan from Amazon. Nutrition Information: Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 681Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 249mgCarbohydrates: 76gFiber: 2gSugar: 56gProtein: 6g
