Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting

Finely ground pecans are the star of this pecan cake, infusing every bite with nutty flavor. Fluffy rum frosting is the perfect finishing touch!

This nutty pecan cake bakes up tall with a lovely delicate crumb, giving you something a little bit different from your standard dessert. The cake itself isn’t overly sweet, which makes it the perfect complement to the rum frosting.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Pecan Cake With Rum Frosting

• A cake for nut lovers. Certainly, if you’re the type to pick walnuts out of a slice of banana bread, this is not the cake for you! But if you always add the optional nuts to all of your baking, you’re going to love this pecan cake.
• Perfect balance of flavors. Because the cake is made with ground pecans, every bite has that nutty flavor. The rum frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness, making this dessert the total package.
• Easy to make. The recipe is simple and straightforward, without any layering or complicated frosting techniques. A simple garnish of chopped pecans is all you need to finish it off.

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

For the Cake:

• Pecans – You can use pecan pieces instead of pecan halves. They’re less expensive!
• All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for baking.
• Baking powder and baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Unsalted butter – Learn more: Unsalted or Salted Butter: Which is Better for Baking?
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar – Light brown sugar has a milder flavor than dark. Read more: Light Brown Sugar vs Dark Brown Sugar: What’s the Difference?
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract – Use homemade vanilla extract or store-bought.
• Buttermilk – Don’t have buttermilk on hand? Here’s how to make buttermilk substitutes.

For the Frosting:

• Confectioners’ sugar – Also known as powdered sugar.
• Unsalted butter
• Rum – Use what you have on hand; if you have to buy a bottle, don’t buy the most expensive, but don’t buy the cheapest either. A step or two above the cheapest is usually perfect for baking!
• Vanilla extract
• Heavy cream – This gives you a rich frosting with a nice, fluffy texture.
• Pecans – For garnish. 

What Kind of Rum Should I Use in Desserts?

While you can use either white or dark rum, I recommend dark rum because of its rich, complex, spiced flavor. However, if you only have white rum on hand, that will work just fine, too.

How to Make Pecan Cake With Rum Frosting

To Make the Cake:

• Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or an 8-inch square baking pan. 
• Process the pecans. Add the pecans to the bowl of a food processor and grind finely.
• Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in the ground pecans.

• Mix the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
• Finish the batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 portions, alternating with 2 portions of the buttermilk, mixing just until combined.

• Bake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, and spread it evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Then, transfer the cake from the pan directly to the wire rack to cool completely. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks)

To Make the Frosting and Finish:

• Cream the butter and sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the confectioners’ sugar and butter until they’re light and fluffy. 
• Finish the frosting. Mix in the rum and vanilla. Add 2 tablespoons of cream and continue beating. Add more cream as needed until the frosting is spreadable.

• Frost and garnish. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, then sprinkle the chopped pecans on top of the frosting.

Variations

• Skip the rum. You can simply use extra vanilla extract instead of rum in the frosting.
• Or make a coffee-infused frosting. A tablespoon or so of strong brewed coffee would be appealing to you coffee lovers out there as an alternative to the rum.
• Make it gluten-free. Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend to make this cake gluten-free.
• Garnish with gusto. Sugared cranberries make a beautiful and festive garnish for this cake during the holidays, while glazed pecans add some extra sweetness and crunch to the top. 

How to Store

Pecan cake with rum frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving.

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

To freeze the pecan cake before frosting, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw it overnight at room temperature before frosting and serving. 

If the cake is already frosted, I recommend freezing it on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the frosting is solid. Then, wrap the cake as described above, and then thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

More Pecan Recipes

• Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Butter Pecan Ice Cream
• Maple Pecan Cookies
• Pecan Lovers’ Brownies
• Caramel Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

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