If you like pecans and pralines, if you like cake, and if you like EASY, you will love this delicious and decadent Southern Pecan Praline Cake recipe.
Not only is it easy to make, but it also freezes beautifully. I have already made several ahead for different occasions and have them stashed in the freezer to keep them fresh.
This dessert, like my recipe for Charleston Chewies, is also perfect for taking to potlucks or church suppers and stays fresh for about a week if kept covered in the fridge.
Why you will love this recipe:
The best part about this recipe is that it starts with a box of butter pecan cake mix. I know there are a few of you baking purists that are rolling your eyes about now because I’m using a mix.
But that’s what makes this recipe so EASY! Of course, you know there has to be more to this story, and there is!
What are pralines?
Pralines are a classic Southern candy, and these luscious, crunchy bites of heaven taste a little like a combination of creamy butterscotch, caramel, and roasted pecans all wrapped up in a sugary, fudgy package!
Homemade pralines make wonderful gifts for your foodie friends and are simple to make. Check out my easy recipe for Old-Fashioned Pecan Pralines.
Here’s what you will need for this recipe:
The rest of the story behind Southern Pecan Praline Cake is in its list of ingredients which include a box of butter pecan cake mix, a tub of coconut pecan frosting (which goes in the batter, yes you read that right), eggs, vegetable or coconut oil, and roasted pecans.
And then, when you thought this dessert couldn’t get any sweeter, there is also a decadent praline topping made with sweetened condensed milk, butter, and more roasted pecans which is then poured over the entire cake!
How to make it:
When you are ready to make it, gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick baking spray.
Place the cake mix, coconut frosting, eggs, oil, and water in a large mixing bowl. Use a handheld or your stand mixer and mix well to combine everything. Add the pecans and mix again.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and it pulls away from the sides. Set aside to cool on a wire cooling rack.
How to make the topping:
To make the praline topping, combine the butter and sweetened condensed milk in a small saucepan and stir until the butter is melted. Add the pecans and mix well. Pour over the cooled cake and serve.
Sharon’s tips:
- This dessert keeps well covered in the fridge for approximately one week, or you can wrap it well in foil and store in a large ziplock bag in your freezer for up to two months.
- Check out my easy recipe for roasted pecans here, or spread the pecan halves out in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.
- If you are roasting pecans that have already been chopped up, reduce the roasting time to five minutes or so. The smaller the pecan piece, the quicker they will burn, so watch them and start checking at 3-4 minutes.
- If I am making this recipe ahead and know I will be freezing it, I always bake and store it in a disposable aluminum baking pan.
- It’s best to wait to add the praline topping to your cake until it has cooled completely or just before you are ready to serve it.
More Southern dessert recipes:
If you like this recipe, I’m betting that you will also love these other popular recipes on my blog: Banana Pudding Poke Cake, Apple Dapple Cake with Caramel Glaze, Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, Georgia Cornbread Cake AKA Pecan Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Minnie Lee Croley’s Sour Cream Pound Cake, Pecan Praline Ice Cream, and Easy Peaches and Cream Pie.
Need more dessert ideas? Check out all of my dessert recipes here.
More Southern recipes:
Check out these popular southern recipes on my blog: Southern Potato Salad, Old-Fashioned Southern Cornbread, Southern Peach Bread, Best Ever Southern Caviar Dip, Southern Pink Lady Peas, Easy Hoecakes AKA Cornmeal Pancakes, Southern Fresh White Acre Peas, Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, and Southern Sweet Potato Pie.
Of course, since this is a blog about Southern recipes, I have lots more. You can check all of my Southern recipes here.
★ If you liked this recipe, please consider rating it and leaving a comment. I’d love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones. I hope you’ll come back soon!
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Southern Pecan Praline Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- 15.25 oz box butter pecan cake mix
- 15 oz tub coconut pecan frosting
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable or coconut oil
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup roasted pecans roasted and chopped
Cake Topping Ingredients:
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup pecans roasted and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
- Place the cake mix, coconut frosting, eggs, oil and water in a large mixing bowl. Use a handheld or your stand mixer and mix well to combine everything. Add the pecans and mix again.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the sides. Set aside to cool on a wire cooling rack.
Pecan Praline Topping Instructions
- To make the praline topping, combine the butter and sweetened condensed milk in a small saucepan and stir until the butter is melted. Add the pecans and mix well. Pour over the cooled cake and serve.
Notes
- Southern Pecan Praline Cake keeps well covered in the fridge for approximately one week, or you can wrap it well in foil and store in a large ziplock bag in your freezer for up to two months.
- Check out my easy recipe for roasted pecans here, or simply spread the pecan halves out in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 350-degree oven for ten minutes. If you are roasting pecans that have already been chopped up, reduce the roasting time to five minutes or so. The smaller the pecan piece the quicker they will burn, so watch them carefully and start checking at three-four minutes.
- If I am making this cake ahead and know I will be freezing it, I always bake and store the cake in a disposable aluminum baking pan. The pan fits perfectly into a two-gallon plastic storage bag.
- It's best to wait to add the praline topping just before you are ready to serve it. It also works best to wait until the cake has cooled completely.
Judy
This is a 5 STAR cake!!!!!
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Judy, I am so glad you liked it!
All my best!
Sharon
Amber
What if you don’t like coconut? What can you substitute for that icing?
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Amber,
I haven’t tried this out, but one of my readers who didn’t like coconut said she used Salted Caramel Frosting. She said it was delicious! If you decide to check it out, please let me know how that works for you!
All my best,
Sharon
Amy
I recently made this cake and it was great! For the picky people I know, what frosting would you suggest to use without coconut?
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Amy,
I haven’t ever made this cake with anything but the coconut pecan icing so I’m not sure what else could work. I wonder what would happen if you put the coconut icing in your food processor and processed it until the coconut was finely ground up. Do you think that might satisfy your picky friends? I’m so sorry but that’s really all I can come up with. If you do swap out the icing or try the food processor trick, please let me know how it turns out!
All my best,
Sharon
Sylvia
I normally make individual little cakes for guys at office for Christmas and I am thinking this might be good to try out. You state the cake would keep in the fridge for a week. Do you have to keep it refrigerated?
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Sylvia, I have always kept it in the refrigerator because of the sweetened condensed milk in the icing. If you don’t add the icing until you are ready to serve it, I think you could leave it out.
All my best,
Sharon
Lori
This looks great, only my family doesn’t like coconut–I do, but they don’t. What kind of frosting could I substitute for the pecan coconut?
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Lori,
I am sorry to take so long to get back with you. I actually went to the grocery store to see if I could find anything else that might work. But I didn’t have any luck. If they don’t like coconut, I think I would just follow the directions on the cake mix to make it as is, but add the pecans. Then I would make the icing according to the recipe.
Hope that helps, sorry I don’t have a better solution.
All my best,
Sharon
Lori Steele
Sharon, no worries; it only took 2 days I think. Thanks for the reply. I may just make it and say “too bad”. There are several who don’t like coconut. So don’t eat it. lol I really appreciate you going to the store to look, too.
Debbie S.
Lori, I don’t care fur coconut either. I baked this yesterday and used Salted Caramel Frosting instead. Delicious!!! I will look for a Butter Pecan Frosting to use, as well. 👍🏻😋
Gritsandpinecones
Hey Debbie,
Thank you so much for sharing a great substitute for the coconut icing.
All my best!
Sharon
Angela M Morris
This cake is excellent. Instead of water, I used half n half and I also added 2 tsp each of vanilla, butter, and butter pecan extracts. For the butter sauce, instead of regular sweetened condensed milk, I used the caramel flavored sweetened condensed milk. You can buy both the Betty Crocker Butter pecan cake mix and the caramel sweetened condensed milk at Walmart
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Angela,
Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed the cake and for sharing your tweaks! They sound delicious!
All my best,
Sharon
Susan Barnes
I made this luscious cake for a small dinner party and didn’t need a cake this big. I baked it in two 8″ square pans for 35 minutes, and froze one and half of the sauce for later. It was a big hit! Thanks, Sharon, for another great recipe!
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Susan, I’m so glad you and your friends enjoyed the cake! And, thanks so much for letting me know. Also, don’t you love it when you are able to save half and freeze it so you will have a treat later!
All my best!
Sharon
Pat
Are you heating the topping on the stove until the butter melts then add the pecans?
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Pat, yes, that’s correct! Hope you enjoy the cake!
All my best,
Sharon
April
I can’t wait to try this. I wonder instead of water could I use rum or half rum and half water to equal the 1 cup liquid? Will update once Ive made it. Thank you for the recipe.
Gritsandpinecones
Hi April, I’ve never substituted alcohol for water in this recipe, but don’t see any reason why you couldn’t. Please let me know how it turns out!
Sharon
Linda
I know some one who pokes holes in the cake then puts the icing.
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Linda, I was just talking with a lady yesterday who told me she did the same thing. She said she thought it made the cake too dense, but her family loved it that way.
Sharon