This is a butter pecan praline poke cake, the kind I usually make when I want something rich but not complicated. Soft butter pecan cake, holes poked all over, warm praline sauce soaked into it, then more sauce and pecans on top. It’s sweet, heavy, and very Southern-style. If you search for butter pecan poke cake or praline poke cake with pecans, this is exactly that. I make it in one pan, no layers, no decorating.
The cake stays moist because of the cream and brown sugar sauce. The pecans matter here, so don’t skip them. I usually let it sit a bit before serving so everything settles and soaks in. Nothing fancy, just a good homemade butter pecan dessert that actually fills the pan.
Ingredients
- 1 box butter pecan cake mix
- Eggs, oil, and water (whatever the box calls for)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- Extra pecan halves for the top
Preparation / How to Make It
I start by baking the butter pecan cake in a regular 9x13 pan. Mixed the batter like the box said. Nothing special. Baked it until the center was set and a knife came out mostly clean.
While the cake was still hot, I poked holes all over it. Used the handle of a wooden spoon. Went deep and close together. That part matters.
In a saucepan, I melted the butter over medium heat. Added the brown sugar and heavy cream. Stirred until it melted down and looked smooth. Not boiling hard. Just a steady bubble. Took it off the heat and stirred in the vanilla.
I poured about half of the warm praline sauce slowly over the cake. Let it sink into the holes. Some pooled on top, that’s fine. Sprinkled chopped pecans over it while it was still warm.
Let the cake cool for a bit. Then I poured the rest of the sauce over the top. Added pecan halves so they stick. Didn’t press them in.
I usually chill it for at least an hour. It cuts better that way. Served straight from the pan. Soft inside, sticky on top, lots of butter pecan flavor.
