Recipe Background
A 1960s-inspired cake bursting with warm flavors and nostalgia.
Transporting you back to a 1960s kitchen, this cake delivers classic flavors with a twist. It greets you with the comforting aroma of toasted pecans mixed with a hint of cinnamon, reminiscent of cozy family gatherings. There's a buttery richness that dances on the tongue, balanced by the tang of sour cream which keeps it delightfully moist. As you take a bite, the sweetness from the sugar layers perfectly with the warmth of vanilla. Each mouthful is like a hug from a favorite relative, familiar yet intriguing.
Creating this cake feels like a nostalgic nod to simpler times. Using a stand mixer adds ease, turning what could be an arm workout into a pleasurable few minutes spent watching ingredients transform. Chopping pecans offers a tactile break, a chance to admire their texture and woody scent before they join the batter. The glaze drips like a silky curtain, evenly dressing the cake with its sugary kiss. All in all, it’s a playful yet straightforward bake, perfect for when you want maximum impact with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
- baking spray with flour to taste, for greasing the pan
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract divided
- 1 cup pecans toasted and chopped
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon whole milk
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Coat a 14-16-cup fluted tube pan with the baking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and beat it on medium speed until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Make sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer running on medium speed, gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and beat after each addition until just combined.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, the salt, and the baking soda and whisk to combine.
- With the stand mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and the sour cream to the butter mixture, alternating between the two, adding about 1/3 of each at a time, and beating after each addition until just combined. Begin and end with the flour mixture.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the vanilla and beat to combine.
- Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared tube pan.
- In a small bowl, add the pecans, the brown sugar, and the cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over the batter in the pan.
- Spoon the remaining batter over the pecan mixture and carefully spread it into an even layer.
- Bake until a long wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour-1 hour 15 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
- In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar, the milk, and the remaining vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake.
- Serve.
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