Butter Pecan Cakes

My folks came to visit over the weekend, so I thought I would make a little something to have with our tea.  I have a wonderful recipe for Butter Pecan Cakes (which are the perfect accompaniment for English Breakfast Tea) that I generally bake in tartlet pans.  Having just acquired a silicone baking mold in the shape of roses, I thought I would try baking the cakes in the mold instead of my standby tartlet.

I was a little skeptical about how well the cakes would release from the mold.  Normally, I have to grease and flour the tartlet molds in order for the cakes to come out and the directions for the silicone molds indicated that no greasing was required.

The mold

An up-close view

I adjusted the time (baking the cakes for about 23 minutes rather than 12 minutes) to account for the larger mold.  After they had baked, they needed to cool for 10 minutes before being turned out of the mold.  With much trepidation, I turned the cakes over, gently pushed on the bottom of the mold and out popped the most lovely little rose cakes ever.  I was impressed!

My recipe calls for a Cranberry/Raspberry sauce to be served over the top of these cakes, and it is wonderful, however, most of the time I just serve the cakes with a light dusting of powdered sugar.  The flavor is wonderful on its own and subtle enough to serve with most any tea or coffee.

Butter Pecan Cakes
1 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/4 C milk
2 1/4 C flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a tartlet pan (or use a silicone mold).  Set aside.

In mixing bowl beat butter with sugar.  Add vanilla, eggs and milk.  Add flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat until combined.  Add pecans.  Spoon into prepared tartlet pan.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes (or longer, depending on your pan) or until lightly browned.  Cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans.  Cool on rack completely.

Before turning them out of the mold

Cranberry/Raspberry Sauce
2 C cranberries
1 C sugar
1/4 C raspberry or cranberry juice
1 C raspberries
1 tsp. orange peel

Combine cranberries and sugar and juice.  Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Cook and stir 5 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Stir in raspberries and orange peel.  Serve over pecan cakes.

*Note:  These can be baked in mini muffin tins or regular or even Madeline molds.  Whatever you have will work.

When you want something wonderful, but not too fancy, Butter Pecan Cakes fill the bill.