Butter Pecan Pound Cake

Cake Release:

1. Combine oil, flour, and shortening. Mix together until smooth. Use a pastry brush to coat the entire inside of the cake pan. Apply liberally. Set aside.

Pound Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread pecans in an even layer. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until the nuts become fragrant and slightly golden. Remove and allow the nuts to cool, then chop into small chunks.
2. Reduce the heat to 325°F.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and kosher salt; set aside.
4. Add salted butter and shortening to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream together for 3 minutes on medium low speed, then add brown sugar and sugar and continue to mix for an additional 3 minutes.
5. Begin adding eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure all the ingredients are mixing well together (batter may split, this is OK). Add vanilla extract, butter vanilla extract, and maple extract. Mix for 15 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix for an additional 1 minute.
6. Add in half of the dry ingredients, then add the milk and sour cream and continue to mix until fully combined, about 20-30 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add chopped pecans. Fold together with a flat spatula until the pecans are evenly dispersed through the batter.
7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Caramel Glaze:

1. While the cake is cooling, prepare the caramel glaze. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and slowly whisk together until it’s fully incorporated into the butter. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Pour in heavy whipping cream and whisk together until the caramel smooths out and comes together, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add chopped pecans.
3. Once the cake has cooled completely, pour the glaze on top of the cake.