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Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake

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
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
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.