Sticky Pecan Carrot Cake
This Sticky Pecan Carrot Cake is a moist, warmly spiced carrot cake topped with gooey, sticky caramelized pecans—a delicious twist on the classic.
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan
- parchment paper
- small saucepan
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Box grater or food processor (for shredding carrots)
- Fine-mesh sieve (for draining pineapple)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen scale (optional)
Ingredients
Sticky Pecan Layer
- ½ cup (110g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons (63g) honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup (90g) toasted pecans coarsely chopped
Carrot Cake
- ½ cup (100g) canola oil
- ¾ cup (165g) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup (60g) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest from ½ a lemon
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 ½ cups (150g) finely shredded carrots 2-3 medium carrots
- ⅓ cup (80g) crushed pineapple well drained
Instructions
Sticky Pecan Layer
- Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, then lightly grease the parchment as well.
- Make the pecan topping. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, honey, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer for just about 1 minute.
- Pour into the pan and add the pecans. Remove from the heat and pour the warm caramel into the prepared pan, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle the toasted chopped pecans evenly over the caramel. Set aside to cool while you prepare the cake batter.
Carrot Cake Batter
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice until well combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the canola oil, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
- Combine wet and dry. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Gently fold in the shredded carrots and well-drained crushed pineapple until evenly distributed.
- Assemble and bake. Pour the batter evenly over the pecan layer in the pan and gently spread it to the edges. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and invert. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then carefully invert onto a serving plate while the topping is still warm. Allow the cake to cool slightly before slicing.
Notes
- Use freshly grated carrots. For the best texture, use the medium holes of a box grater or a food processor shredding disc. Do not use store-bought pre-shredded carrots; fresh carrots give delicate shreds that melt into the batter for a soft, tender cake.
- Toast the pecans before starting the recipe. Spread them on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 5–7 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
- Measure the crushed pineapple after draining. Let it sit in a fine-mesh sieve and press lightly with a spoon to remove excess juice.
- If any pecans stick to the pan when the cake is inverted, simply use a spatula to scrape them off and spread them back over the cake while the topping is still warm.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best texture, let refrigerated slices come to room temperature before serving.