This pecan pie pound cake has all the flavors of your favorite Thanksgiving pie in cake form. This easy to make cake can be served as a dessert or enjoyed as a mid afternoon snack with a cup of coffee.

Pecan Pie Pound Cake cut into slices on a board

Pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts over Thanksgiving, and I love cake, so why not combine the two?! This cake is full of fall flavors and a real treat on a grey afternoon.

How to Make This Pecan Pie Pound Cake Recipe

  • Heat oven to 350° and adjust the oven rack to middle-low position.
  • To make it possible to lift the pound cake from the pans, and if using loaf pans, spray the pans with nonstick spray and make “slings” for the pans. To make parchment paper slings, cut pieces of parchment paper long enough to hang over the edges of the pans by 2-inches and wide enough to fit into the pans (length & width). There should be two crisscross pieces of parchment per loaf pan. Spray the topside of the parchment with nonstick spray.
  • Alternately: Spray the pan(s) with baking flour spray or, alternately, butter and flour the pans.
  • Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl
  • In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, vanilla extract and almond extract.
  • In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and shortening for 2 minutes.
  • Add sugar, ¼ cup at-a-time, and beat for 3 minutes or until butter is pale yellow, creamy and (somewhat) fluffy.
  • Then add eggs, one-at-a-time, beating until well combined after each addition.
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternately, with the buttermilk mixture. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix just until no dry flour can be seen but don’t over-mix.

FOR THE PECAN PIE FILLING:

  • Heat oven to 350°F, and spread pecans evenly in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 6-8 minutes or until pecans begin to darken and are fragrant. Cool completely and coarsely chop.
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk the eggs until foamy. Add the white and brown sugars, salt, melted butter, whisk until well combined. Set the saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often until the mixture is hot to the touch, but not boiling. Add vanilla and chopped pecans and stir well. The pecans are added separately. By adding the pecans separately, it allows for the pecans to be evenly spread over the batter.
  • For Baking the Cake:
  • Heat oven to 350°F and set oven rack to lower-middle position.
  • Note: There are two ways to fill the pans. This recipe reflects the pictures used in the blog post. The optional way is to fill the pans with half the batter (or 3/4th full), sprinkle the batter with pecans and pour about 1/3 of the Pie Filling over the pecans. Do NOT swirl the pie filling into the batter.
  • Note: Keep in mind to fill the pans about 3/4ths full – leaving room for the cakes to rise.
  • Pour 1/4th of the cake batter into each of the 2 prepared loaf pans and sprinkle ¼ of the pecans over the batter in each pan. Pour ¼ of the Pie Filling over the pecan layer in each pan.
  • Use a thin knife to swirl the filling through the batter.
  • Halve the remaining batter and spread it over the pecans/pie filling layer in each pan.
  • Top each cake with half of the remaining pecans and half of the remaining Pie Filling.
  • Bake cakes at 350°F, set side-by-side, for 1-1½ hours. Turn the pans around after an hour and cover very loosely with foil. (My cakes took about 1½ hours, but start checking the cakes at 70 minutes and check every 5 minutes thereafter.
  • The cakes are done when the internal temperature registers 210°F on an instant-read thermometer, or when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack to cool 15 minutes then lift the cakes out of the pans by pulling up on the parchment slings. Cool the cakes completely before slicing.
  • Enjoy!

See the recipe card below for full details!

Top shot of slices of cake

Close up of a slice of Pecan Pie Pound Cake

What is a pound cake?

A traditional pound cake gets it’s name form the weight of the ingredients to make the cake, one pound each of flour, sugar, butter and eggs. This is a simple basic cake recipe which you can then add more ingredients to, to make it your own. They are baked in a loaf tin and served in slices.

The Best Southern Pecan Pound Cake

This cake is unmistakably Southern. Made with pecans and brown sugar, this cake is rich and full of flavor and the texture is just to die for. The pecans are baked throughout the cake so there is flavor and texture in every bite.

A Pound Cake Recipe with Buttermilk

This pecan pie pound cake is wonderfully moist, thanks to the buttermilk incorporated into the recipe. The acid in the buttermilk tenderizes the gluten in the flour and produces a very fine crumb.

Slices of cake ready to eat

Slices of Pecan Pie Pound Cake stacked on top of each other

Why is my pound cake heavy?

Your pound cake my be heavy and dense if you have over mixed the flour, it rises in the oven, but sinks as soon as you pull it out. To avoid this, add the flour mixture last to your mixer, and stop mixing it when your flour is combined.

Top Tips To Make Pecan Pie Pound Cake

  • You can also bake this cake in a bundt pan.
  • Be sure to grease your tins well and make a sling out of a strip of parchment so that the cake is easy to remove.
  • Don’t fill the pan all the way to the top with the batter so that it has room to rise.
  • Bake in a preheated oven for the best results.
  • Let the cake cool completely before serving.

Shot showing the pecans in the cake

For More Cake Recipes:

Recipe Card

Pecan Pie Pound Cake

4.74 from 38 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 16 people
Author: Becky Hardin
sliced pecan pie pound cake
This pecan pie pound cake has all the flavors of your favorite Thanksgiving pie in cake form. This easy to make cake can be served as a dessert or enjoyed as a mid afternoon snack with a cup of coffee.
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Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale (optional)
  • 2 9x5-inch loaf pan OR
  • 10-Cup Bundt Pan
  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients 

For the Pound Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 360 grams
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 grams
  • 1 cup buttermilk 227 grams, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract 4 grams
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, room temperature (2 sticks)
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening 92 grams (½ stick)
  • 3 cups granulated sugar 600 grams
  • 5 large eggs 250 grams, room temperature

For the Pecan Pie Filling

  • 3 large eggs 150 grams
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar 53 grams
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 42 grams, melted
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • 2 cups toasted rough-chopped pecans 228 grams, divided

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and adjust the oven rack to middle-low position.
  • To make it possible to lift the pound cake from the pans, and if using loaf pans, spray the pans with nonstick spray and make “slings” for the pans. To make parchment paper slings, cut pieces of parchment paper long enough to hang over the edges of the pans by 2 inches and wide enough to fit into the pans (length & width). There should be two crisscross pieces of parchment per loaf pan. Spray the top side of the parchment with nonstick spray. Alternately, spray the pans with baking flour spray or, alternately, butter and flour the pans.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Set aside.
    3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • In a large measuring cup, stir the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and almond extract together.
    1 cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening together for 2 minutes.
    1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • Add the sugar, ¼ cup at a time, and beat until pale, yellow, creamy, and somewhat fluffy, about 3 minutes.
    3 cups granulated sugar
  • Add the eggs, one-at-a-time, beating until well combined after each addition.
    5 large eggs
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternately, with the buttermilk mixture. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix just until no dry flour can be seen but don’t over-mix. Set aside while you make the filling.
  • To make the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk the eggs until foamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars, salt, and melted butter, and whisk until well combined. Set the saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often until the mixture is hot to the touch, but not boiling. Add the lemon juice and half of the chopped pecans and stir well.
    3 large eggs, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup dark brown sugar, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ lemon, 2 cups toasted rough-chopped pecans
  • Pour ¼ of the cake batter into each of the 2 prepared loaf pans and sprinkle ¼ of the remaining pecans over the batter in each pan. Pour ¼ of the Pie Filling over the pecan layer in each pan (SEE NOTE). Use a thin knife to swirl the filling through the batter.
  • Halve the remaining batter and spread it over the pecans/pie filling layer in each pan.
  • Top each cake with half of the remaining pecans and half of the remaining Pie Filling.
  • Bake cakes at 350°F, set side-by-side, for 1-1½ hours. Turn the pans around after an hour and cover very loosely with foil. (My cakes took about 1½ hours, but start checking the cakes at 70 minutes and check every 5 minutes thereafter). The cakes are done when the internal temperature registers 210°F on an instant-read thermometer, or when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack to cool 15 minutes then lift the cakes out of the pans by pulling up on the parchment slings. Cool the cakes completely before slicing.

Video

Becky's Tips

Yield: 2 (9-inch) loaves or 1 (10-inch) tube or bundt pan
  • NOTE: There are two ways to fill the pans. This recipe reflects the pictures used in the blog post. The optional way is to fill the pans with half the batter (or ¾ full), sprinkle the batter with the remaining chopped pecans, and pour about ⅓ of the Pie Filling over the pecans. Do NOT swirl the pie filling into the batter.
  • DIY Buttermilk: To make your own buttermilk, measure 1 cup of milk, remove 1 tablespoon of it, and mix in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
  • Be sure to grease your tins well and make a sling out of a strip of parchment so that the cake is easy to remove.
  • Don't fill the pan all the way to the top with the batter so that it has room to rise.
  • Bake in a preheated oven for the best results.
  • Let the cake cool completely before serving.
Storage: Store pecan pie pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 586kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 7gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 159mgPotassium: 148mgFiber: 2gSugar: 49gVitamin A: 588IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.74 from 38 votes (31 ratings without comment)
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Pat Ross
Pat Ross
January 3, 2022 8:04 am

There is a some instructions missing or wrong. For the filling it says ADD vanilla & pecans. First in the filling recipe it shows NO VANILLA. Then in filling it says ADD NUTS SEPERSTELY. What nuts you have the nuts mixed into the filling5 stars

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
January 5, 2022 10:47 am
Reply to  Pat Ross

Thanks for sharing, I will take a look!

Marsha
Marsha
April 15, 2020 6:04 pm

Oops! Just noticed the video. I see that both lemon juice and vanilla are used in pie filling, but not seeing amount of vanilla. Thanks again!

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
April 26, 2020 1:29 pm
Reply to  Marsha

2 teaspoons of vanilla! Sorry about the confusion!

Marsha
Marsha
April 15, 2020 5:54 pm

The ingredients for the pie filling lists juice of 1/2 a lemon, but the mixing instructions do not mention the lemon juice but vanilla. Do you add lemon juice or vanilla? If vanilla, how much? Also
do you mix pecans into the filling? Instructions say pecans are added separately. Thanks! Looks yummy!

do you mix pecans into the filling or not? Instructions say

Michelle
Michelle
November 23, 2019 9:36 am

Recipe says 1 cup 2 sticks of butter. I know this is a ‘pound’ cake but do you mean 1 cup which equals 2 sticks or a total of 4 sticks which is the 1 cup plus 2 sticks. Thanks!

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
November 26, 2019 6:40 pm
Reply to  Michelle

Just 1 cup which is equal to two sticks of butter! Sorry that was confusing!!

Michelle
Michelle
November 19, 2019 10:47 am

When you say 1 cup 2 sticks of butter, do you mean 1 pound total (2 cups or 4 sticks) or do you mean 1 cup or 2 sticks? I know this is a ‘pound’ cake but want to confirm. Can’t wait to try it!! Thanks!

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
November 26, 2019 7:57 pm
Reply to  Michelle

Just one cup! So sorry for the confusion!

John bergman
John bergman
November 17, 2019 8:29 am

Of you had wet up pecans in water then slightly dried them and shaken them in flour the pecans would not drop to the bottom in any cake or bread.

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
November 17, 2019 6:48 pm
Reply to  John bergman

Great tip, John!

Katherine McMahon
Katherine McMahon
November 15, 2019 3:45 pm

These sound DELICIOUS. Just wondering if you’ve frozen the finished product. I thought of making a few for gifts, but would like to do it before the holidays are upon us, which means baking them and then freezing until ready to give. Thanks!

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
November 30, 2019 1:16 pm

That wouldn’t be a bad idea, Katherine!

Katie
Katie
November 14, 2019 12:28 pm

This is seriously to die for. My whole family loves this so much!5 stars

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
November 17, 2019 6:59 pm
Reply to  Katie

Thank you, Katie! I’m SO glad to hear everyone loved this!

Rachael Yerkes
Rachael Yerkes
November 14, 2019 11:16 am

this pound cake is amazing!5 stars

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
November 17, 2019 6:59 pm
Reply to  Rachael Yerkes

Thank you, Rachael!

Tara
Tara
November 14, 2019 10:53 am

Simple to make, yet packed full of flavor — definitely making again!5 stars

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
November 17, 2019 7:00 pm
Reply to  Tara

I’m so happy to hear that you loved the recipe!