Cinnamon Swirl and Toasted Pecan Cake

Recipe & photo thanks to Nordic Ware!

Ingredients:

Sour cream cake batter:

- 3 cups cake flour, sifted

- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (optional: sub 1/4 cup butter)

- 1 2/3 cups superfine baker's sugar (caster sugar)

- 4 large eggs

- 1 tablespoon vanilla

- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

- 2 cups full-fat sour cream (whole milk, plain Greek yogurt can be sub.)

Pecan swirl filling:

- 1 cup finely chopped pecans, lightly toasted

- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

- 3 tablespoons brown sugar

- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Glaze (optional):

- 1 cup confectioner's sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

- 1 teaspoon milk

- Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F with the oven rack in the center of the oven. Prepare your Bundt pan by using a pastry brush and melted butter, ensuring that you reach inside every crevice of the pan. Dust with flour. Alternately, use a baking spray that contains flour, and brush excess with a pastry brush to evenly coat the pan.

Prep the batter: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter (and optional coconut oil) on medium speed until smooth and light in color, 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar 1/3 of a cup at a time, creaming until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl. Add in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the bowl and add vanilla. On the lowest mixer speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the sour cream in small amounts, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not over-mix the batter.

Prep the filling: In a medium bowl, combine pecans, both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa. Use your fingertips to blend until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

Filling your Bundt: Spoon 2 heaping cups of the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Smooth with the back of a spoon, spreading the batter to the sides of the pan first and then to the center cone to create a 'well' for the filling. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the filling evenly into the well. Cover the filling with about 2 cups of batter, dropping dollops around the pan and smoothing with the spoon. Sprinkle another 1/2 cup filling evenly over the batter and cover with 2 more cups of batter. Repeat the process until you end with batter as your final top layer. (Ideally, you'll have four layers of batter and three layers of filling.) Insert a plastic butter knife 1 inch from the side of the pan straight into the batter, going almost to the bottom. Run the blade around the pan two times, without lifting, spacing your loops about 1 inch apart for an optimal swirling effect. Tap the pan firmly several times on a cutting board or countertop to release bubbles from the batter.

Bake: Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown, the sides are beginning to pull away from the pan, and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for just 10 minutes before inverting the pan to remove the cake.

Serve: To make the vanilla glaze, melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add vanilla, salt, and sugar, then stir to combine. Use up to 1 teaspoon of milk to reach the desired consistency, then pour over the cooled cake.