Old-Fashioned Pecan Cake

Many of you will remember your mother or grandmother whipping up this cake from scratch with no cookbook in sight, just fresh pecans, sugar, butter, and milk coming together in exactly the right proportions. For those who appreciate a little more structure when it comes to baking, I’ve translated that intuitive kitchen magic into an easy, step-by-step recipe.

The base is a box yellow cake mix, and honestly it plays only a supporting role here. The real star of the show is the praline-style frosting that’s spread between the cake’s layers and piled high on top. This foolproof dessert gives the pecans the spotlight they deserve. It’s balanced and layered, both fancy and down-home, and best of all, it looks like it took all afternoon, yet it actually comes together pretty quickly. If pecan pie has ever felt a little too sweet to you, or a little too uncertain—will it slice cleanly, or won’t it?—and if you don’t quite have the patience or the knack for making pralines, consider this old-fashioned pecan cake your new favorite.

OLD-FASHIONED PECAN CAKE

3 cups raw pecan halves

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/4 cup milk

1 1/4 cup Turbinado sugar (may substitute granulated white sugar)

1 box yellow cake mix

—Toast the pecans in a 350-degree oven for five or six minutes. Set the pecans aside and let them cool.

—Prepare your favorite yellow cake mix according to box instructions. Divide the batter between two eight-inch round cake pans.

—As the cakes are baking, prepare the praline frosting.

—Grind the toasted pecans or finely chop them with a knife. (I like to grind half in a food processor and chop the other half by hand.)

—In a heavy saucepan melt the tablespoon of butter. Add chopped pecans and stir to coat.

—Add milk and sugar and stir over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the mixture thickens to a spreadable paste.

—As you stir, be on the lookout for small pieces of pecan shell that might bubble up.

—Cut the rounded top off of one of the cakes and turn over onto a cake stand. Frost this bottom layer with one third of the frosting.

—Cut the other cake into two layers. Place one of the layers on top of the bottom layer and frost with one third of the frosting.

—Place the remaining (rounded) layer on top of the whole cake and frost with the remaining third of the frosting.

—Seal the raw cake edges with a glaze of powdered sugar and water.

—Slice and serve with coffee.