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Ultra close-up macro food photography of rich Southern pecan upside-down bundt cake with warm brown sugar caramel glaze and toasted pecans

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Southern Pecan Bundt Cake

Decadent Southern pecan upside-down bundt cake featuring an ultra-tender buttermilk spiced butter cake baked over a gooey brown sugar caramel topping loaded with crisp toasted pecans.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: Holiday Bakes, Southern
Calories: 485
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Gooey Pecan Praline Topping
  • 1/2 cup unsalted European butter (melted)
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 cups raw pecan halves (toasted)
  • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
For the Spiced Buttermilk Cake Batter
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup unsalted European butter (room temperature)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 4 large farm eggs (room temperature)
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole buttermilk (room temperature)

Method
 

Baking & Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 10-12 cup fluted bundt pan with softened butter and dust lightly with flour.
  2. Whisk melted butter, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, and heavy cream until smooth. Pour into the bottom of the prepared bundt pan. Neatly arrange toasted pecan halves along the fluted ridges.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat room-temperature butter and sugars on medium-high speed for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla.
  5. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk in three batches on low speed, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula.
  6. Carefully spoon the thick batter over the pecans and caramel in the bundt pan, smoothing the surface evenly.
  7. Bake for 48 to 52 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for exactly 12 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter so the glossy pecan praline cascades over the warm cake.