Pecan Upside Down Cake (From Scratch)

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This pecan upside down cake has a buttery brown sugar topping packed with chopped pecans and a sour cream cake underneath. It's made from scratch in one 9-inch round pan, and the topping bakes right along with the cake. All that's left is to flip it onto a plate and take it to sit with the other cakes at the potluck.

Pecan upside down cake on a blue and white serving plate

A Sour Cream Cake with a Pecan Topping

I love sour cream in a cake, so that's what I used for this one. The pecan layer is sweet and buttery enough that the cake doesn't need frosting. If you love the flavors in my butter pecan cake, this is another way to put pecans front and center.

I also wanted a cake that would fit on a regular serving plate. A 9-inch round pan makes the flip easier to manage; just choose a plate that's wider than the pan and has a rim to catch any loose topping.

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FAQs

What pan do I use for pecan upside down cake?

Use a 9-inch round metal cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep. Butter the bottom and sides. This batter and topping are sized for one round cake.

How long should the cake cool before flipping?

Let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a rimmed heatproof plate. Let it finish cooling on the plate. If it cools completely in the pan, the topping can firm up and become harder to release.

What if some of the pecan topping falls off?

Spoon it back onto the cake while it's still warm. The topping firms up as it cools, so put any loose pecans back in place before that happens. Let the cake cool completely before slicing.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

You can bake it the day before serving. Flip it after its 10-minute rest and let it cool completely before covering. Keep it at cool room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Let refrigerated slices come toward room temperature before serving.

Ingredients

The butter is divided between the pan, topping, and cake, so set those portions out separately before you begin. The full printable recipe is at the bottom of the post.

For the Pan and Pecan Topping

2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter: For coating the bottom and sides of the pan.
¼ cup unsalted butter: For the topping.
½ cup packed light brown sugar: Pack it into the measuring cup.
2 tablespoons light corn syrup: Use light corn syrup, not pancake syrup.
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream: Goes into the brown sugar mixture.
⅛ teaspoon salt.
1¼ cups coarsely chopped pecans: Measure the chopped nuts.

For the Sour Cream Cake

1½ cups all-purpose flour: 180 grams, or spoon it into your measuring cup and level the top.
1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
½ cup unsalted butter: Softened for creaming with the sugar.
¾ cup granulated sugar.
2 large eggs: At room temperature.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
½ cup sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt can be used in the same amount (½ cup). Full-fat is preferred for either option. I tested this version with sour cream.
¼ cup whole milk.

Instructions

Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Coat the bottom and sides of the pan with the 2 tablespoons of softened butter.
Make the topping. Melt the topping butter over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, and salt. When the mixture is combined and the first small bubbles appear, take it off the heat and stir in the pecans.

Chopped pecans stirred into the brown sugar topping in a saucepan

Spread the pecan mixture evenly across the bottom of the buttered pan.

Pecan topping spread in the bottom of a round metal cake pan

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Mix the sour cream and milk in a separate small bowl.

Sour cream and milk in a small glass bowl

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat them for 2-3 minutes, until lighter and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Scrape the bowl as needed.

Eggs added to the creamed butter and sugar

Finish the batter. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three portions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two portions. Stop mixing once everything is combined.

Sour cream mixture being added to the cake batter

Fill the pan. Dollop the batter over the pecan layer, then gently spread it to the edges.

Cake batter spread evenly over the pecan topping

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the center is set and springs back when gently pressed. Mine baked through in 35 minutes in a metal pan.

Golden cake after baking in a round metal pan

Rest, then flip. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges, place your rimmed heatproof plate over the pan, and carefully turn them over together using oven mitts. Lift off the pan.

Spoon any loose topping back on while it's warm. Let the cake cool completely on the plate before slicing so the topping has time to set.

Tips

Keep the topping's stovetop time brief. Remove it when the first small bubbles appear; it will cook more in the oven.
Spread the batter gently. Dollops are easier to smooth out without pushing the pecans into a pile.
Spoon loose topping back on while it's warm. Some of mine came off when I flipped the cake. I scooped it back on, and once the cake cooled, the topping set and sliced well.

Slice of pecan upside down cake showing the vanilla cake and pecan topping

More Recipes

Have more pecans to use? Try one of these next:

Pecan Pie Dump Cake - a cake-mix dessert baked in a 9×13 pan.
Pecan Pie Dip - a creamy dessert dip with a pecan topping.
Butter Pecan Cake - a sheet cake finished with brown sugar frosting.

Pecan Upside Down Cake