Spiced Pecan Busy Day Cake Recipes

MAMA NEELY'S SPICED PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13- by 9-inch pan.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon until nicely combined and the pecans are fully coated.
• For the glaze: In a second medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and milk until all the sugar is fully incorporated and there are no lumps. Set the glaze to the side.
• For the cake: Into a large bowl, add the cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, sugar, 1/4 cup water, flour and eggs. Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients until fully combined, about 4 minutes. Pour about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the pecan filling on top and swirl into the batter. Pour the next half of the batter over and spread to make an even layer.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then invert the cake onto a plate or platter, and let cool completely.
• Whisk the glaze a bit to make sure it's still smooth and then drizzle all over the cake. Let the glaze set a bit and serve!

SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a sheet pan with the cooking spray or brush it lightly with oil.
• Place the egg white in a large bowl and whisk vigorously for 15 seconds, until light and frothy. Whisk in the brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, chile powder, cloves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the pecans and mix well, until thoroughly coated. Pour the mixture, including any liquid, onto the prepared pan and spread in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing twice with a metal spatula. Each time you toss the pecans, spread them out again in one layer. When they're done, sprinkle with fleur de sel and allow to cool completely; they will crisp as they cool. Serve at room temperature.

EASY, LIGHT, BEST BUTTER PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix the cake mix as directed on box (do not overbeat).
• Bake in three layers (approximately 20 minutes) in greased and floured pans.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove to rack and cool completely before frosting.
• Mix the pudding and milk together until it starts to thicken. Fold in the Cool Whip.
• Add the nuts and vanilla.
• Frost the cake This makes a lot of icing so be generous between the layers and icing the cake. Store in the refrigerator.

HOT AND SPICY PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Stir in the pecans, and gently toss with chili powder to coat.
• Spread coated pecans on a medium baking sheet, and cook 30 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring approximately every 10 minutes.

PECAN SPICE LAYER CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• Sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices into a large bowl.
• Beat together butter (1 1/2 sticks) and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and sour cream alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth. Mix in pecans until just combined.
• Spoon batter evenly into pans, smoothing tops, then rap pans once or twice to expel any air bubbles. Bake until pale golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edge of pans, then invert racks over pans and reinvert cakes onto racks to cool completely.
• Make frosting:
• Beat together cream cheese, butter, and zest in a bowl with clean beaters at medium-high speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Sift in confectioners sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined, then add lemon juice and beat at medium-high speed until frosting is smooth.
• Assemble and frost cake:
• Halve each cake layer horizontally with a long serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion. Put 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake stand or large plate and spread with about 3/4 cup frosting. Stack remaining cake layers, spreading about 3/4 cup frosting on each layer and ending with top cake layer cut side down. Spread top and side of cake with remaining frosting (about 3 1/2 cups) and coat side of cake with pecans (1 1/3 cups), gently pressing to help them adhere.

SPICED PECAN CAKE WITH PECAN ICING

Steps:

• Cake: Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• To candy pecans, place on a large ungreased metal baking sheet.
• Roast 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
• Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
• Mix in 1/4 cup butter, and stir in hot pecans to coat thoroughly.
• Return mixture to pan and roast 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
• Mix in 2 Tbsp vanilla, and roast another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Cool candied pecans to room temperature.
• See bottom Note!
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour three 8" round cake pans.
• Cream remaining 3/4 cup butter with 1-1/2 cups sugar in large bowl of electric mixer at high speed until very light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
• Sift flour and baking soda into another bowl.
• Combine milk and remaining 1 Tbsp vanilla in measuring cup.
• Add dry ingredients and milk mixture alternately to butter mixture, beating at high speed until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
• Gently stir in candied pecans.
• Beat egg whites until frothy.
• Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbsp at a time, beating at high speed until mixture is stiff but not dry, about 2 minutes.
• Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter in three additions.
• Divide batter among prepared pans, forming a slight depression in the center of each.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes in pans, then invert onto wire racks, and cool to room temperature.
• Cake Glaze: Heat water and sugar in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, swirling pan occasionally.
• Increase heat, and bring mixture to a full boil.
• Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
• Immediately brush hot glaze over top and sides of each cake layer.
• Frosting: Heat sugar and water in heavy 1 quart saucepan over low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat and boil without stirring until mixture registers 230 degrees F (thread stage) on candy thermometer, swirling pan occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Blend egg yolks in the large bowl of an electric mixer at high speed for 5 seconds.
• Decrease speed to low, and add hot syrup in a thin stream, and then beat at high speed until cool, about 10 minutes.
• DO NOT SCRAPE DOWN SIDES OF BOWL.
• Gradually add butter or margarine, beating at medium speed until smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low, and blend in powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Add chopped pecans and beat at high speed until mixture is very thick.
• Thin frosting with cream if necessary.
• Stack cake layers on a serving platter, spreading 1 cup of frosting between each, refrigerating frosting as necessary to keep it firm.
• Smooth remaining frosting on sides and top of cake.
• Arrange pecan halves around top edge.
• Serve at room temperature.
• Note: If this does not sound rich enough for you, it can be made even richer.
• To do so, increase all ingredients used to candy the pecans by one half.
• After cooling, reserve one cup of the candied pecans and add these to the icing at the same time as the toasted pecans are added.

EASY SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• In a large skillet over low heat, toast pecans in butter for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring often. Drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and spices. Add pecans and toss to coat. Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet. , Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• In a small bowl beat the egg white with the water. Stir in the pecans, mixing until well moistened.
• In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the moistened nuts. Spread nuts on prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Be careful not to overcook and burn the nuts.

SPICED PECAN CAKE WITH PECAN FROSTING

Steps:

• 1. Place the pecans in a large ungreased roasting pan and roast at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a medium-size bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Then mix in the 4 tablespoons butter. Add the roasted pecans to the butter mixture and coat them thoroughly. Return mixture to pan and roast for 10 minutes more, stirring once or twice. Stir in 2 tablespoons vanilla and roast 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside. In large bowl of electric mixer cream the 1 1/2 sticks butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on high speed until very light and fluffy, about 6 to 8 minutes. In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. In a third bowl combine the milk and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to the butter mixture, beating on high speed until well blended and scraping the bowl sides between additions. Stir in the pecans. In a separate bowl whip the egg whites on high speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until mixture is stiff and holds peaks, about 2 minutes. Gently fold egg whites into the batter, a third at a time. Spoon batter into 3 greased and lightly floured 8-inch round cake pans (1 1/2 inches deep). Spread batter so it is slightly lower in the center (since it peaks in the center during cooking). Bake at 350 degrees F until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pans and place on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Brush glaze over top of each cake layer with a pastry brush, a little at a time, then spread generously with frosting between layers and on top and sides.
• 2. Frosting: Combine the granulated sugar and water in a 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat to 230 degrees F (soft-thread stage), about 15 minutes; do not stir. In a large bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg yolks on high speed just slightly, about 5 seconds. Gradually add the hot syrup and beat until thoroughly cooled, thick, shiny, and very pale, about 10 minutes. (Start at low speed so it won't splash and then go to high speed). If crystallized sugar builds up around the sides of the bowl, don't scrape it into mixture; it will make the frosting lumpy, and you will have plenty of frosting without it. Gradually add the margarine and mix on medium speed until completely blended and very smooth, about 5 minutes. Blend in the powdered sugar and vanilla on low speed until smooth; then add the pecans and beat on high speed until thoroughly mixed and very thick. If frosting is too thick, thin with a little cream, milk, or water. ***It's best to use margarine rather than butter in this frosting because butter tends to melt out of the frosting as the cake sits awhile.