This Maple Cake with pecan streusel filling offers a delightful combination of flavors and textures. The natural sweetness of maple syrup provides a deep flavor that pairs nicely with the pecans. This cake will leave you with cozy autumnal vibes!
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The star of this maple cake recipe is the surprise tunnel of pecan streusel running through the middle of the cake. The crumbly, crunchy texture of the streusel contrasts beautifully with the softness of the cake, adding a satisfying crunch to every bite.
Ingredients
Maple Cake
Gather the following ingredients to create this maple cake with pecan streusel filling:
- All-purpose flour: sift flour if needed to eliminate any lumps and ensure a smooth batter
- Baking powder, baking soda and ground cinnamon
- Brown sugar: light or dark may be used
- Maple syrup: use a high-quality pure maple syrup—imitation syrup won’t do justice to this recipe
- Unsalted butter, eggs and sour cream: bring these three ingredients to room temperature before starting recipe
- Pecans: toast and finely chop pecans
See recipe card for quantities.
Optional cake drizzle
- Powdered sugar: sift through a mesh sieve to remove any lumps
- Butter: unsalted, melted and cooled slightly
- Maple syrup: use a high-quality pure maple syrup
Instructions
Pan preparation
This Maple Cake is fairly simple to make and not much can go wrong except when you unmold it. Take the time to properly prepare your Bundt pan. I recommend one of the following methods:
- Generously spray the pan with baking spray making sure to get the spray into any little crevices. Using a paper towel, remove any excess spray that has pooled in the crevices.
- Create your own cake release by combining ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup vegetable shorting and ¼ cup vegetable oil in a mixer. Mix until ingredients are well combined. Using a pastry brush, apply cake release to the inside of pan.
Maple cake instructions
1 - Make streusel: combine butter, flour and brown sugar using a pastry blender or fork, mix until crumbly. Stir in chopped pecans. Set aside ¼ cup of streusel for sprinkling over top of finished cake. The remainder is used in the cake filling.
2 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and ground cinnamon. Set aside. Note: sift flour if necessary to remove any lumps.
3 - In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup and sour cream. Set aside.
4 - Place butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix together until light and creamy. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to bowl. Mix on low speed until just combined.
5 - Add half of the maple syrup mixture to bowl. Mix on low speed until combined.
6 - Add another ⅓ of flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the remaining maple syrup mixture to the bowl. Mix on low speed until combined. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until combined.
7 - Spoon ½ of cake batter into the Bundt pan. Smooth with a rubber spatula. Use the back of a spoon to create a tunnel in the batter. Add streusel into the tunnel you just created. Take care to keep streusel away from sides of pan.
8 - Add remaining cake batter over streusel. Smooth gently with a rubber spatula.
Bake, cool and serve
1 - Bake for 40 - 45 minutes at 350℉ or until top is quite brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Note: you may also check for doneness but inserting an instant read thermometer in middle of cake. Internal temperature should be 180℉.
2 - Remove pan from oven and cool upright for 15 minutes. Flip pan upside down onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. Lift pan off cake - it should release from pan on its own. If not, use a blunt knife and gently loosen sides.
3 - While cake is cooling, bake remaining ¼ cup of pecan streusel for 8 minutes at 350℉. Set aside to cool.
4 - In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter and maple syrup until creamy. If you prefer a thicker drizzle, add more powdered sugar; for a thinner consistency, add more maple syrup. Pour glaze over cake. Sprinkle remaining pecan streusel over glaze.
Equipment
Gather the following equipment to make this maple cake recipe:
- Use a high-quality 12-cup Bundt cake pan
- Stand- or hand-mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Bowls
- Spatula
Storage
Bundt cakes stay fresh for longer periods compared to lighter, airier cakes. This is helpful when you need to prepare a dessert a few days in advance. Store the cake at room temperature wrapped in foil or plastic for up to 3 days.
This Maple Cake with pecan streusel may be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap well before freezing.
FAQ
How do I toast pecans?
More Fall dessert ideas
Looking for other recipes for your fall dessert tables? Check out these recipes:
📋 Recipe
Maple Cake with Pecan Streusel Filling
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer (a hand mixer may also be used)
- 1 Bundt Cake Pan 12 cup pan
- Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
Streusel Filling
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted butter Softened
- 4 Tablespoons All-purpose flour
- ½ Cup Brown sugar Light or dark
- ¾ Cup Pecans Toasted and finely chopped
Cake Batter
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter Softened
- ⅔ Cup Brown sugar Light or dark
- 2 Cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Cup Maple syrup Use pure maple syrup and not imitation
- 2 Large Eggs Room temperature
- 1 Cup Sour Cream, room temperature Room temperature
Maple Glaze (optional)
- 1 Cup Powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted butter Melted
- ⅓ Cup Maple syrup
- ¼ Cup Pecan streusel
Instructions
- Prepare Bundt pan by generously spraying the inside with non-stick baking spray, melted butter or cake release.
Pecan Streusel
- In a small bowl, combine butter, flour and brown sugar. With a pastry blender or fork, mix until crumbly. Stir in chopped pecans.
- Set aside ¼ cup of streusel filling for sprinkling over top of finished cake (the remaining streusel will be used in the cake filling).
Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and ground cinnamon. Set aside. Note: sift flour if necessary to remove any lumps.
- In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup and sour cream in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Place butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand-,mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix together until light and creamy (2 - 3 minutes). Scrape bowl down as needed. Note - a hand-mixer may also be used.
- Add eggs to bowl. Mix until well combined. Scrape bowl down as needed.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to bowl. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Add half of the maple syrup mixture to bowl. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Add another ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Add the remaining maple syrup mixture to the bowl. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Spoon ½ of the cake batter into Bundt pan. Smooth with a rubber spatula. Use the back of a spoon to create a tunnel in the batter.
- Add streusel filling into the tunnel you just created. Take care to keep the mixture away from sides of pan.
- Add remaining cake batter to pan over streusel filling. Smooth gently with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 40 - 45 minutes at 350℉ or until top is quite brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Note: you may also check for doneness but inserting an instant read thermometer in middle of cake. Internal temperature should be 180℉.
- Remove pan from oven and cool upright for 15 minutes.
- Flip pan upside down onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. Lift pan off cake - it should release from pan on its own. If not, use a blunt knife and gently loosen sides.
- While cake is cooling, bake remaining ¼ cup of pecan streusel for 8 minutes at 350℉. Set aside to cool.
Drizzle
- In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter and maple syrup until creamy. If you prefer a thicker drizzle, add more powdered sugar; for a thinner consistency, add more maple syrup.
- Spoon glaze over cake. Sprinkle remaining pecan streusel over glaze.
Matt says
I liked how the flavors came together perfectly in this. The pecan streusel added a nice crunch that really elevated the whole dessert.
Colleen says
This cake was so good! Just the cake and the drizzle would have been amazing, but that center of pecan streusel really makes it fantastic!