Pecan Coffee Cake With Warm Caramel Sauce
The cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 cup sour cream
The sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons bourbon
-
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a
10-inch tube pan. Place the pecans in a food processor and pulse until
they’re chopped medium-fine; reserve 3/4 cup. -
Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and add to
the pecans in the food processor. Pulse until pecans are ground and well
mixed with the flour. Set aside. -
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until very
light. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in
the vanilla and bourbon. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour
cream, beginning and ending with flour and mixing just to combine. Fold in
the reserved pecans. -
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake until the top
springs back when touched in the center, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let
stand for 10 minutes, turn onto a rack, reinvert and let cool. -
Meanwhile, to make the sauce, place the sugar in a medium saucepan and
stir in the water. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar
crystals clinging to the side of the pan. Place over medium heat and cook
without stirring until mixture turns a deep caramel color. -
Remove from heat and carefully add the cream and bourbon. Return the pan
to the heat and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth. The sauce can
be made ahead and reheated. -
To serve, place a slice of cake on each plate and spoon some of the warm
sauce beside it.
YIELD Twelve to fifteen servings