Ingredients
- FOR CAKE:
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (16 ounce) package dark brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- FOR PRALINE ICING:
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- FOR SUGAR PECANS:
- 1 egg white
- 4 cups pecan halves (about 1 lb.)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
Directions
-
Arrange 1 cup pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes or until toasted.
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Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes or until completely cool.
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Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
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Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar, beating until well blended.
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Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
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Sift together 2 1/2 cups flour and next 3 ingredients.
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Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
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Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition.
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Stir in toasted pecans and vanilla. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan.
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Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
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Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
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Prepare Praline Icing, and spoon immediately over cake.
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Sprinkle top of cake with Sugared Pecans.
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ICING: Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute.
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Remove from heat; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
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Stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Use immediately.
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SUGAR PECANS: Whisk egg white until foamy; add pecans, and stir until evenly coated.
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Stir together sugars; sprinkle over pecans. Stir gently until pecans are evenly coated. Spread pecans in a single layer in a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
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Bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until pecans are toasted and dry, stirring once after 10 minutes.
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Remove from oven, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
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Note: Store pecans in a zip-top plastic freezer bag at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 weeks. Makes 5 cups.
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Use some to decorate the praline bundt cake and enjoy the leftovers.