Bourbon Caramel Pecan Cake

"Pressing toasted pecans on top of the cake batter before baking ensures they stay crunchy for a satisfying texture and gives the cake a built-in wow factor. You'll finish by brushing a generous slosh of bourbon caramel over the still-warm cake, letting it drip down the sides and soak into the crumb, ensuring every bite is rich with flavor and wonderfully moist."

"Toast your nuts. Sorry, no, you can't skip this step. Toasting the pecans enhances their flavor, aroma, and texture. Because the pecan halves will be glazed, toasting them gives them a crisper texture, creating a more dynamic crispy-gooey topping. Use room-temperature ingredients. Baking with room-temperature ingredients ensures they incorporate smoothly without lumps. For the butter, you should be able to push a finger into it and meet some resistance. To quickly warm the eggs, place them in a bowl of warm water."

"Overmix? Never worry. This cake uses the reverse creaming method: beating the butter into the dry ingredients, which coats the flour mixture with fat and inhibits gluten formation. This means you don't get the aeration that usually comes from traditional creaming (beating butter and sugar until creamy). As a result, when adding the wet ingredients, you'll whip the cake mix for about 2 minutes-a step that can feel like you're doing something wrong. Trust the process"

Bourbon caramel pecan cake converts pecan-pie flavors into a tender, buttery layer cake topped with toasted pecans and a sticky glaze. Toasted pecans are pressed onto the batter before baking so they remain crunchy and add texture. A generous brushing of warm bourbon caramel is poured over the cake while still warm so the glaze drips down the sides and soaks into the crumb for richness and moisture. Key techniques include toasting nuts, using room-temperature ingredients, and employing the reverse creaming method to limit gluten and produce a tender crumb. Proper pan preparation prevents sticking; alternative pans can substitute for a springform.

Read at Epicurious