Cinnamon Pecan Breakfast Cake

This Cinnamon Pecan Breakfast Cake is one of those recipes you will want to save – let’s just get that out in the open now…

I made this recipe for my family – they are big coffee cake lovers! But this recipe ended up being something more, something better, with the addition of pecans and extra butter. Okay, it’s more of an accidental success since I wasn’t particularly paying attention to how much butter I was adding to the cinnamon layer. But sometimes what we think will be failures end up being better than what we could have imagined.

It was actually so good that my husband requested it for his friend’s birthday cake – and then again for himself the following week. It’s a no fail recipe which means it is now one of my favorite go-to’s. In fact, it’s only June and I’m already planning on bringing this home for when everyone gets together for Thanksgiving week. What better way to start the fall holiday season than with cinnamon, pecans and cake for breakfast!

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Print Recipe

Cinnamon Pecan Breakfast Cake

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Ingredients

Cake Layer

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt

Cinnamon Pecan Layer

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans extra for sprinkling on top, if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cake Layer

• Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer until well mixed, about 2 minutes
• Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sour cream and mix well
• Set mixture aside

Cinnamon Pecan Layer

• Add melted butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and chopped pecans to bowl (will be thick mixture)

Assembly

• Pour half of the cake mixture into a greased 9×9 pan
• Add half of the cinnamon pecan mixture on top. This mixture is very thick so I put it on by spoonfuls and then try to spread it out as best as possible – it's okay if some cake still shows
• Pour the second half of the cake mixture on top
• Add remainder of the cinnamon pecan mixture
• Sprinkle extra chopped pecans on top, if desired
• Bake for 50 minutes
• Let cool, add frosting (see below) if desired and enjoy for breakfast, snack or dessert!

Notes

For the frosting, I will be completely honest and say I think the stuff in the can is better than anything I’ve ever attempted to make so that’s my quick choice!

I put about 1/3 of the can in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 10-15 seconds, or until it becomes a thinner consistency and then drizzle it all over the top of this cake.  Cream cheese or vanilla frostings are my favorites for this!