Buttermilk Cake

Sometimes you try a new recipe and it's such a disaster, it goes right into the trash. But sometimes you try a new recipe and it's destined to become one that you return to over and over again. This is one of those. 

Maybe it's because this cake is so flavorful, moist and the crumb is so unbelievably tender. 

Maybe it's because the crunchy and sticky pecan coating is so irresistible.

Or maybe it's because this recipe makes enough to feed a crowd! 

 For all those reasons, you've got to try this recipe. I'll bet you'll find it becomes one of your go-to cake recipes too.

Buttermilk Cake

CAKE

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk or 1 1/3 cups liquid whey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

TOPPING

• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 to 1 cup diced pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" cake pan. (I used two 8" square pans instead)
2. Beat the butter and brown sugar together till smooth. 
3. Add the eggs, beating till smooth.
4. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
5. Add the baking soda, salt, and flour to the wet ingredients, beating till thoroughly combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake the cake for 35 minutes. (Mine needed closer to 45 minutes) Towards the end of the baking time, prepare the topping.
8. Stir the butter and the sugar together. Add the milk, pecans, and salt. The glaze will be thick but pourable. 
9. Top the baked cake with the topping, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. 
10. Remove the cake from the oven. The topping will look very runny. You can eat the cake hot, with the glaze still gooey; or let the cake sit at room temperature for a few hours, by which time the glaze will have set. 
11. Yield: 24 servings.