How to Make Cinnamon Pecan Cake

I'm not a coffee drinker, but I have plenty of friends who are. They all agree that a cup of coffee is the best part of waking up on a cool, crisp Fall morning. While, I don't drink coffee, I do have an appreciation for a good coffee cake and that's exactly what this recipe reminds me of.

Merritt Bates-Thomas has created a delicious recipe for Cinnamon Pecan Cake that could easily serve as an after-dinner dessert. However, it could also be baked up for a delicious breakfast. If you're going to have a big cup of coffee, how about having a slice of coffee cake with it. Or, in this case, how about a slice of Cinnamon Pecan Cake.

Here's how to make it!

CINNAMON PECAN CAKE

Merritt Bates-Thomas

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup super-fine almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick (1/4 lb) butter, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted*

powdered sugar optional

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8" round cake pan (bottom and sides) lightly with butter and then dust with flour to keep the cake from sticking.

In a bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine the dry ingredients mixture. In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter and the sugars. Cream butter and sugars together for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the Greek yogurt and the extracts until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix just to combine and remove any lumps. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans in a small bowl and set aside.

Transfer half the batter to the cake pan and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar pecan mixture over the first layer of the cake batter. Add the remaining cake batter into the pan and spread evenly over the first layer. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the middle of the cake is set. *I toast the pecan pieces that will top the cake for the last few minutes of the cake cooking. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Place a cutting board or dinner plate over the top of the cake pan and flip the cake over so that it releases from the pan. The cake will be upside down. Place a cake stand or serving tray on top of the cake and flip the cake over. Allow the cake to continue cooling.

Combine the honey and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes and simmer until reduced. Turn off the heat and allow the honey mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Spoon the honey mixture over the cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with toasted pecans.

When Merritt brought the recipe in for our What's Cookin'? segment on my radio show, I quickly devoured two pieces. It's REALLY good and, like I hinted, it works as breakfast or an after-dinner dessert.