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Southern Pecan Praline Cake with Butter Sauce (+Video)

This Southern Pecan Praline Cake with Butter Sauce is so scrumptious that no one will know it’s made with a cake mix! All topped with an easy, sweet butter sauce!

AN EASY SOUTHERN STYLE CAKE

I promise you have never had a cake like this before. This cake is so incredibly moist and flavorful. It might seem weird to add frosting to the cake batter before baking but it totally works and makes this such a unique and absolutely delicious cake. The butter sauce is optional because this cake is so delicious on its own but I think it adds a little something special when serving. I promise this will become a new favorite cake and everyone will be begging for the recipe!

a slice of butter pecan cake shown on a white plate and topped with a butter sauce.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What if I don’t like coconut?

I get this question a lot. All I’m gonna say is I have made this cake SO many times for coconut haters and they love it. You can’t even really taste the coconut that is in the frosting and you don’t even see the pieces of coconut in it. Unfortunately, I have not found an acceptable substitute yet for this flavor and consistency. It’s the same frosting used for German chocolate cake. I suppose you could try to make the frosting homemade and just maybe leave out the coconut.
If you or someone are serving this to just cannot stand any type of coconut at all or if you are allergic, then this cake is definitely not for you.

Can I use a different cake mix?

This recipe really relies on these specific ingredients. It just won’t taste the same with substitutes because I’ve tried. Again, this cake is reliant on using these exact ingredients.

Can pecan praline cake be frozen?

Yes it can. It would need to be frozen without the sauce on top through. Wrap it very well to prevent freezer burn and it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can this be made in a bundt pan?

Yes. Bake for about 50 minutes. I highly recommend spraying he bundt pan very well with a nonstick spray that has flour in it (like Baker’s Joy or Pam Baking Spray.)

Cake mixes seem to be getting smaller, will this still work?

When I first shared this recipe in 2012, cake mixes were 18.25 ounces. Some brands, like Betty Crocker, are now 13.25 ounces. As of writing this, Duncan Hines is 15.25 ounces. I believe only Betty Crocker makes the butter pecan flavor. This recipe still works without any changes. The cake may not be as thick but it will works the same way. Just keep an eye on baking time as all ovens can bake just a bit differently since many have hot spots. So you may need to adjust the baking time slightly.

Does this cake need to be kept refrigerated?

It does not unless you’ve poured the sauce on top. I prefer to pour the sauce on to individual toppings. But if you’ve opted to pour it over the entire cake, then you’ll need to keep the cake refrigerated. Otherwise, just cover and it can be kept on the counter for up to 3 days.

a slice of pecan praline cake topped with a sweetened condensed milk sauce and sprinkled with pecans on a small round whit plate.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • butter pecan cake mix – it has to be the butter pecan cake mix. Unfortunately I have not found a good substitute. This is just one of those recipes where you must use the ingredients as listed. If you can’t find them then I would not try making this recipe.
  • coconut pecan frosting – this recipe only works with this type of frosting. If you don’t like coconut then this recipe is not for you.
  • eggs – if you have time, let the eggs come to room temperature. This helps them mix into the batter easier.
  • oil and water – you are NOT using the amounts on the back of the box. Please use the amounts that I have listed exactly.
  • chopped pecans – if you are not a huge fan of pecans you can leave them out but remember that there is pecan flavor in the cake mix and there are pecans also in the frosting so you will to be getting rid of the pecans completely.
  • sweetened condensed milk – you don’t have to make the sauce if you don’t want since this cake is super flavorful on its own but it is nice to have on the side for anyone who would like some.
  • butter – it needs to be real butter and not margarine.
butter pecan cake mix, coconut pecan frosting, sweetened condensed milk, pecans, eggs, oil.

HOW TO MAKE PECAN PRALINE CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (I like the kind with flour in it). In a medium bowl (or your stand mixer bowl), combine all the cake ingredients except for the chopped pecans. Don’t forget to add the tub of coconut pecan frosting. That goes into the cake batter too! I just dump it all in there then let the mixer do the work.

Once it’s all combined, stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

collage of two photos: butter pecan cake mix, coconut pecan frosting, eggs, and oil in a large mixing bow; chopped pecans added to cake batter.

Pour batter into greased baking dish. Bake for about 35-40 minutes. As with most baked goods, oven times vary but cake should spring back to the touch and be golden brown. And if you insert a toothpick into the middle it should come out clean.

collage of two photos: cake batter puree into baking dish; fully baked cake with a slice being held up with a spatula.

This cake is perfectly good just like this. It is moist and yummy. But we’re gonna take it up a notch with some butter sauce. In a small pot over medium heat, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Pour in can of sweetened condensed milk with the melted butter and stir. Continue to stir until heated thoroughly, then add 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Stir again then take off heat.

collage of two photos: sweetened condensed milk and butter in a pan with a whisk; pecans added to sauce in the pan.

Then spoon this deliciously yummy sauce over individual slices of cake. I pour the sauce over the individual slices instead of just pouring it over the whole cake because I love to be able to scoop up some of the sauce off my plate as I eat it and I don’t want the sauce to just become part of the cake. But you can definitely do that if you need to take this to a gathering.

two slices of butter pecan cake shown on small round white plates with the full cake showing in a baking dish in the background.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Originally published: November 2012
Updated photos & republished: February 2024

Southern Pecan Praline Cake with Butter Sauce recipe

Southern Pecan Praline Cake with Butter Sauce

Southern Pecan Praline Cake with Butter Sauce is so scrumptious that no one will know it's made with a cake mix! All topped with a sweet butter sauce!
4.75 from 106 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

For the sauce:

  • 2 Tablespoons salted butter
  • 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9"x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl (or your stand mixer bowl), combine 1 box butter pecan cake mix, 1 tub coconut pecan frosting, 4 large eggs, 3/4 cup vegetable oil and 1 cup water. Mix very well.
    butter pecan cake mix, coconut pecan frosting, eggs, and oil in a large mixing bowl.
  • Then stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
    chopped pecans added to pecan praline cake batter
  • Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
    pecan praline batter poured into a baking dish.
  • Bake for about 35-40 minutes. Oven times vary but cake should spring back to the touch and be golden brown. Or insert a toothpick into the middle it should come out clean.
    fully baked pecan praline cake with one slice being held up with a spatula.
  • For the sauce: In a small pot over medium heat (or in a microwave), melt 2 Tablespoons salted butter.
  • Pour in 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk with the melted butter and stir.
    melted butter and sweetened condensed milk in a sauce pan.
  • Continue to stir until heated thoroughly, then add 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Stir again then take off heat.
    chopped pecans added to butter and sweetened condensed milk in a sauce pan.
  • Then spoon this deliciously yummy sauce over individual slices of cake when serving. Or pour it all over the whole cake.
    Southern Pecan Praline Cake made with a boxed cake mix and butter sauce.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
  • You can also make this in a bundt pan. Bake for about 50 minutes.
  • I prefer to pour the sauce over the individual slices. I think it makes a prettier presentation but you don’t have to do that. You can just pour all of the sauce over the entire cake. 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Sodium: 352mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




252 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve made this cake several times and it is a winner! I was wondering if you thought it would work to make this a layer cake with the sauce as filling and cream cheese frosting on the outside. I’d like to make this as a birthday cake for a friend and want something more formal than a 9×13.

  2. 5 stars
    We love this cake and I always get compliments and requests for the recipe. One change I make sometimes if the cake is going to an adult function is to add whisky or rum to the butter sauce. That really puts it over the top.

  3. 5 stars
    OMG!!!! I made this cake and it was a HIT! This cake so so so moist, I actually poked holes all over so the glaze could drip inside the cake! I will definitely be making this cake again!

  4. 5 stars
    I made this cake and it is a hit! To the butter pecan cake mix and coconut pecan frosting, along with the other ingredients, I added a box of French vanilla pudding, 2 tsps each of vanilla, butter, butter pecan, and coconut extracts. To the butter sauce, instead of regular sweetened condensed milk, I added the caramel flavored sweetened condensed milk.

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely amazing! I made it for a bbq and once it was cut it was gone in 10 mins. Even though the recipe calls for box cake mix once people taste it they will think it is homemade! I am actually making another one as we speak! I received a special request. The only thing i will do differently this time is let the butter icing cool down longer before I pour it on the cake. Thx for this Awesome recipe!

  6. 5 stars
    This cake is AWESOME! I have one in the oven right now. I’ve made 6of these cakes within the pass month. You totally rock. God Bless

  7. 5 stars
    Addicted to this cake. My husband is not a fan of coconut and never even knew it was in this cake. I kept half out and froze the other. It came out of the freezer just as perfect as the fresh cake. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes that inspire me.

  8. 5 stars
    Oh my word, this cake is even better the next day after all the butter sauce soaked in!! I made it last night and only one piece was left! My dinner for tonight!! HAha I made a Bundt version of it- wish I could post a pic, it turned out so pretty much to my surprise (I’m not a baker!)

  9. 5 stars
    I’m making this cake for someone and giving it to them the next day. Should I keep the Butter Sauce separate and have them pour it on when they get ready to eat it or just pour it on after baking it?. I’m just thinking will it make the cake soggy.

  10. 5 stars
    So I didn’t have a butter pecan cake mix but I did have dark chocolate fudge 🙂 so I used it instead OMG yummy, did everything else as written in recipe took it to a work luncheon everyone loved it thanks for sharing!!!

  11. 5 stars
    I never baked this cake but after seeing its positive reviews, I will surely bake this cake in this weekend.

  12. 5 stars
    I made this cake today for the church pot luck. It was AMAZING! My daughter-in-law said that this will now have to be the cake I bring to all of our family functions, which is saying something because your Pea Pickin’ Cake has been our family favorite now for a couple of years. This would be scrumptious served without the butter sauce on top, too.

  13. 5 stars
    This is the second time making this cake. I love this recipe and it’s a winner at home and when we have guests. They never guess it’s a box cake with frosting added in. Thank you so much.

  14. I just took this cake out of the oven. It smells wonderful, I can’t wait to dig in. Thank you for this and all your recipes.

  15. Looks & sounds delicious! Went to get ingredients…and couldn’t find Butter Pecan cake mix. ???? So I tried German Chocolate …we’ll see how it turns out. Do you put icing on while cake is hot/warm?

    1. I would love to know how it turned out for you Jackie! When you put the icing on is totally up to you. It’s good either way. You can put it on while warm or you can drizzle it on individual servings. Either way is good 🙂

  16. If you go to Amazon.com, you can find both the cake mixes and the frosting. I now have to order Splenda Blend through Amazon; no store around here carries them.
    Happy Hunting and baking!

  17. This cake is in my oven now to take to a neighborhood July 4 party. I figured that way I can keep a bit out and get to taste it but not eat the whole thing by myself!

  18. This cake has made me very popular in my office and church. I make it in a bundt pan and it looks very fancy. It is so good and so easy. The hardest part is resisting the large piece. Thanks!!

    1. I poke holes in the bundt cake when I take it out of the oven. Then I spoon the sauce over the cake, let it sit to soak up the sauce and then turn it out on a serving plate. Yummmm !