There are some desserts that just feel like a warm hug, and this Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake is precisely that. It’s a recipe born from a love of classic Southern desserts, combining a wonderfully moist butter pecan cake with a rich, buttery caramel sauce that seeps into every nook and cranny. The whole thing is finished with a cloud of whipped cream and a generous scattering of crunchy, homemade pecan praline. Friends always ask me for this recipe after trying it at dinner parties, and it’s a genuine pleasure to share it. This is more than just a cake; it’s an experience in texture and flavour that works beautifully for a Sunday lunch or any time you need a truly special sweet treat.

What sets this butter pecan cake apart is the layering of flavours. We toast the pecans before they go into the cake batter, which deepens their nutty character immensely. Then, we create a simple but decadent caramel sauce to pour over the warm cake. The ‘poke’ method ensures the sauce doesn’t just sit on top but permeates the entire sponge, making it unbelievably moist. And the praline topping? It adds a fantastic, sugary crunch that contrasts so well with the soft cake and light cream. It’s the kind of dessert that gets appreciative, quiet nods around the table as everyone takes their first bite.

This is the ideal bake for a family gathering, a special occasion, or simply when you want to put a bit of love onto a plate. It looks impressive, but the process is straightforward, broken down into manageable steps. If you’re a fan of sweet, nutty, caramel-laden desserts, this praline cake is sure to become a new favourite in your repertoire. It’s a true taste of Southern hospitality, wherever you are in the world.

Recipe Overview

This recipe guides you through creating a three-part dessert: a tender butter pecan sponge, a luscious caramel sauce for soaking, and a crunchy praline topping. The result is a supremely moist and flavourful cake with a delightful textural contrast. After testing this recipe five times, I finally got the balance of sweetness in the caramel sauce just right so that it complements the cake without being overpowering.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus cooling)
• Servings: 12 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Why You’ll Love This Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake

• Incredible Flavour and Texture: The sponge is soft and studded with toasted pecans, the caramel sauce makes it gloriously gooey, and the praline adds a satisfying, sweet crunch. It’s a wonderful combination in every spoonful.
• Comes Together in Stages: While it has a few components, you can make the praline and even the cake a day ahead, making assembly much quicker when you’re ready to serve.
• A Versatile Sweet Treat: You can dial the sweetness up or down by adjusting the amount of sauce you use. For a richer flavour, try using dark brown muscovado sugar in the caramel sauce.
• Great for Gatherings: This cake is made in a 23x33cm (9×13 inch) tin, so it serves a good number of people. It’s ideal for bringing to a potluck, serving at a BBQ, or as the finale to a big family meal. It’s also a lovely alternative to our Giant Skillet Cookie Recipe when you need something for a larger group.
• Family Tested: My whole family adores this cake, but my grandfather, who has a real sweet tooth, says it’s one of the best he’s ever had. That’s high praise!

Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake

⏱️ 30 min prep  •  🍳 50 min cook  •  👥 12 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best results, use room temperature ingredients for the cake, especially the butter and eggs. This helps them combine into a smooth, uniform batter. I prefer using a good quality unsalted butter, like Lurpak, as it gives you full control over the salt content.

• For the Butter Pecan Cake:
• 250g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g caster sugar
• 150g soft light brown sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120ml whole milk, at room temperature
• 150g pecans, roughly chopped and toasted
• For the Praline Topping:
• 100g caster sugar
• 50ml water
• 100g pecan halves
• For the Caramel Sauce:
• 150g unsalted butter
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 120ml double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• A pinch of sea salt
• For the Whipped Topping:
• 400ml double cream, chilled
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Marcus’s Tip: Toasting the pecans is a non-negotiable step. It only takes 5-7 minutes in a dry pan or the oven, but it releases their natural oils and transforms their flavour from mild to deeply nutty and aromatic. Don’t skip it!

How to Make Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake

We’ll tackle this in stages: first the praline, then the cake, the sauce, and finally the assembly. Working this way makes the process feel organised and manageable.

1. Make the Pecan Praline: Line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, combine the 100g of caster sugar and 50ml of water. Heat over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, increase the heat, and let it bubble away until it turns a deep amber colour, about 8-10 minutes. Be watchful as it can burn quickly. Immediately add the pecan halves, swirl to coat, and pour onto the prepared baking tray. Spread it out and let it cool completely. Once hard, roughly chop it up.
2. Prepare for the Cake: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and flour a 23x33cm (9×13 inch) baking tin. In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix the Cake Batter: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the 225g of softened butter with the caster sugar and soft light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
4. Combine and Add Pecans: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour. Mix until just combined – do not overmix. Gently fold in the 150g of toasted, chopped pecans.
5. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
6. Make the Caramel Sauce: While the cake is cooling slightly, melt the 150g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the 200g of brown sugar and bring to a gentle boil, stirring for 2 minutes. Carefully stir in the double cream (it will bubble up), the vanilla, and the pinch of salt. Let it simmer for another minute, then remove from the heat.
7. Poke and Pour: Using the round handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the warm cake, about an inch apart. I find this creates the ideal size of hole for the sauce to really soak in. Slowly and evenly pour about two-thirds of the warm caramel sauce over the cake, making sure it gets into all the holes. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving.
8. Cool and Top: Let the cake cool completely to room temperature. Once cool, make the whipped topping. In a chilled bowl, whip the 400ml of double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cooled cake.
9. Final Garnish: Just before serving, sprinkle the chopped pecan praline over the whipped cream. Drizzle with a little of the reserved caramel sauce.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Caramel Temperature Control: When making both the praline and the caramel sauce, temperature is key. For the praline, watch the colour carefully. It can go from perfect amber to burnt in seconds. For the sauce, a gentle simmer is all you need to dissolve the sugar and bring it together. Vigorous boiling can cause it to split.
• The Secret to a Moist Crumb: I learned that alternating the dry and wet ingredients is crucial for a tender cake. It prevents you from overworking the gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough cake. Always start and finish with the dry ingredients. For more tips on achieving the perfect bake, BBC Good Food has some excellent advice.
• Make-Ahead Magic: You can bake the cake and make the caramel sauce and praline up to a day in advance. Store the cake, tightly covered, at room temperature. Keep the sauce and praline in separate airtight containers. Assemble with the freshly whipped cream just before serving.
• Storage: Once assembled, the cake must be stored in the refrigerator because of the cream topping. It will keep well in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The praline may soften slightly in the fridge, so for maximum crunch, you could add it to individual slices just before serving.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• 23x33cm (9×13 inch) baking tin
• Small and medium saucepans
• Baking parchment
• Spatula
• Wooden spoon (for poking!)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not Toasting the Pecans: This might seem like a small step, but it makes a world of difference. Raw pecans are quite bland in a cake, whereas toasted ones are rich, fragrant, and crunchy.
• Overmixing the Batter: Once you add the flour, mix only until it’s just incorporated. Overmixing develops gluten and will result in a dense, chewy cake rather than a light, tender one.
• Pouring Sauce on a Cold Cake: The cake needs to be warm for the sauce to be absorbed properly. If the cake is cold, the sauce will sit on top instead of seeping into the sponge. A 10-minute rest after it comes out of the oven is the perfect window.

What to Serve With Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake

This cake is a complete dessert all on its own, but if you want to elevate it further, here are a few ideas that work wonderfully:

• A Scoop of Ice Cream: A high-quality vanilla bean or butterscotch ice cream is a natural partner. The cold creaminess is a lovely contrast to the rich, moist cake.
• A Hot Drink: A freshly brewed, strong black coffee or an Americano cuts through the sweetness beautifully. For a non-caffeinated option, a cup of rooibos tea works well.
• A Drizzle of Chocolate: For true indulgence, a light drizzle of melted dark chocolate over the praline topping adds another layer of flavour complexity.
• If you love the nutty flavours here, you should also try my Maple Pecan Sticky Buns for a breakfast treat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake

A rich and moist butter pecan cake, poked and soaked with a homemade caramel sauce, then topped with fresh whipped cream and a crunchy pecan praline.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 780

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Butter Pecan Cake

• 250 g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 225 g unsalted butter softened
• 200 g caster sugar
• 150 g soft light brown sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120 ml whole milk at room temperature
• 150 g pecans roughly chopped and toasted

For the Praline Topping

• 100 g caster sugar
• 50 ml water
• 100 g pecan halves

For the Caramel Sauce

• 150 g unsalted butter
• 200 g soft light brown sugar
• 120 ml double cream
• A pinch of sea salt

For the Whipped Topping

• 400 ml double cream chilled
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Method

 

1. Make the Pecan Praline: Line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, combine the 100g of caster sugar and 50ml of water. Heat over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, increase the heat, and let it bubble away until it turns a deep amber colour, about 8-10 minutes. Be watchful as it can burn quickly. Immediately add the pecan halves, swirl to coat, and pour onto the prepared baking tray. Spread it out and let it cool completely. Once hard, roughly chop it up.
2. Prepare for the Cake: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and flour a 23x33cm (9x13 inch) baking tin. In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix the Cake Batter: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the 225g of softened butter with the caster sugar and soft light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
4. Combine and Add Pecans: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour. Mix until just combined – do not overmix. Gently fold in the 150g of toasted, chopped pecans.
5. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
6. Make the Caramel Sauce: While the cake is cooling slightly, melt the 150g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the 200g of brown sugar and bring to a gentle boil, stirring for 2 minutes. Carefully stir in the double cream (it will bubble up), the vanilla, and the pinch of salt. Let it simmer for another minute, then remove from the heat.
7. Poke and Pour: Using the round handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the warm cake, about an inch apart. I find this creates the ideal size of hole for the sauce to really soak in. Slowly and evenly pour about two-thirds of the warm caramel sauce over the cake, making sure it gets into all the holes. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving.
8. Cool and Top: Let the cake cool completely to room temperature. Once cool, make the whipped topping. In a chilled bowl, whip the 400ml of double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cooled cake.
9. Final Garnish: Just before serving, sprinkle the chopped pecan praline over the whipped cream. Drizzle with a little of the reserved caramel sauce.

Notes

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The reserved caramel sauce can be gently warmed before drizzling over individual slices.

I really hope you give this Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake a try. It’s a truly special bake that always gets rave reviews and disappears astonishingly fast. The combination of the soft, nutty cake, the gooey caramel, and the crunchy topping is just so satisfying. Let me know how you get on in the comments below – I’d love to hear about it! Happy baking.
– Marcus Bennett