Gooey Pecan Pie Cake — Full Recipe

The image appears to show a pecan pie cake / pecan pie bars made with yellow cake mix. The ingredient text in the image is a simplified version; a more complete version uses the cake mix as a partially baked crust and then adds a gooey pecan-pie filling. Similar versions use a 9×13-inch pan and bake the crust before adding the filling.
F
Food
+1

Ingredients
Cake base
1 box yellow cake mix — about 15–18 oz/425–510 g

½ cup (113 g) butter, melted

1 large egg

Gooey pecan filling
⅔ cup of the reserved cake batter

3 large eggs

1½ cups light corn syrup

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1½–2 cups pecans, chopped or roughly broken

¼ tsp salt, optional but recommended if using unsalted butter

The classic versions generally use 1 egg in the crust and 3 eggs in the filling, rather than putting all 4 eggs into the cake layer.
F
Food
+1

Step-by-step
1. Prepare the oven
Preheat oven to 325°F / 165°C.

Grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking pan.

2. Make the cake crust
Put the dry yellow cake mix in a large bowl.

Add:

½ cup melted butter

1 egg

Mix until you have a very thick dough-like batter.

Measure out ⅔ cup of this mixture and set it aside for the filling.

Press the remaining mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.

3. Partially bake
Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden and slightly puffed.

Don’t fully bake it at this stage—the second bake finishes the cake. Similar recipes use 325°F and a 15-minute initial bake.
F
Food
+1

4. Make the pecan filling
While the crust is baking, combine:

reserved ⅔ cup cake batter

3 eggs

1½ cups corn syrup

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

optional ¼ tsp salt

Mix until smooth.

Fold in the pecans.

5. Add the filling
Remove the partially baked crust from the oven.

Pour the pecan mixture evenly over it.

Spread the pecans around so they’re distributed throughout the filling.

6. Bake again
Return to the oven at 325°F / 165°C.

Bake for approximately 40–50 minutes, depending on your pan and oven.

The edges should be browned and set, while the center can have a slight jiggle. It will firm considerably as it cools. Recipes for this style range from about 40–60 minutes for the second bake.
F
Food
+1

7. Cool completely
Let the cake cool in the pan before cutting.

For the cleanest slices, allow it to cool for at least 1–2 hours. Cutting while it’s very hot will give you a much more runny filling.

All About the Nuts
What nut is used?
Pecans are the traditional choice.

They provide:

buttery flavor

crunchy texture

slight natural sweetness

contrast to the soft caramel-like filling

How much?
For a heavily loaded pecan topping like the photograph, use 2 cups pecans.

For a less nut-heavy cake, use 1½ cups.

Chopped vs. halves
Chopped pecans:
Best for distributing nuts throughout every bite and making the cake easier to cut.

Pecan halves:
Give you the dramatic appearance seen in the photograph, but slices can be harder to cut.

Best combination: use about 1½ cups chopped pecans + ½ cup pecan halves on top.

Should pecans be toasted?
Yes, if you want a deeper, nuttier flavor.

Spread them on a baking sheet and toast at approximately 350°F / 175°C for 5–8 minutes, watching carefully because nuts burn quickly.

Cool them before adding them to the filling.

You can also use raw pecans; recipes for this cake commonly use either toasted or untoasted pecans.
F
Food

Can I substitute walnuts?
Yes. You can substitute walnuts 1:1, although the flavor will be different and less traditionally “pecan-pie-like.”

Recipe Q&A
Can I use a butter pecan cake mix?
Yes. It gives the dessert an even stronger pecan/butter flavor. Butter cake or yellow cake mix are both commonly used.
S
Southern Plate

Can I use dark brown sugar?
Yes. It produces a deeper molasses/caramel flavor.

Light or dark corn syrup?
Either works. Light corn syrup gives a cleaner, lighter caramel flavor; dark corn syrup produces a deeper flavor and darker filling.

Can I reduce the sugar?
You can reduce the brown sugar somewhat, but don’t dramatically reduce the corn syrup because it is important to the texture of the filling.

Why is my center runny?
It may simply need more cooling time. If it is still liquid after completely cooling, it was probably underbaked.

Bake until the edges are set and the center has only a slight wobble.

Why is my cake too hard?
Usually from overbaking. The center should not be baked until completely firm in the oven; it continues setting while cooling.

Can I add chocolate?
Absolutely. Add ½–1 cup chocolate chips to the pecan filling for a chocolate-pecan version. A published variation uses chocolate chips along with the pecans.
F
Food

Can I add vanilla ice cream?
Yes—and it’s particularly good while the cake is slightly warm. Whipped cream also works well.
S
Southern Plate

How should I store it?
Because the filling contains eggs, I’d refrigerate leftovers in a covered container once cooled. For best texture, let individual portions sit at room temperature briefly before serving.

Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool completely, cut into portions, wrap tightly, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator and gently warm before serving.

Important allergy information
Tis recipe contains tree nuts (pecans), eggs, milk/dairy (butter), and wheat in the conventional cake mix.

If serving someone with a nut allergy, do not simply replace the pecans and assume the dessert is safe—check the cake-mix label for allergen and cross-contact information as well.

For a nut-free version, the pecans need to be completely omitted and the recipe should be prepared with ingredients specifically appropriate for the person’s allergy.

For the photographed style
For that extra-loaded, glossy pecan appearance, I’d use:

1 box yellow cake mix + ½ cup butter + 4 eggs total + 1½ cups corn syrup + ½ cup brown sugar + 1 tsp vanilla + 2 cups pecans, using 1 egg in the crust and 3 in the filling. This closely follows established pecan-pie-cake formulas while giving you plenty of pecans.
F
Food
+1

Reference recipe: Southern Plate’s Pecan Pie Cake

Author
Recent Posts

Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.