Sticky Pecan Upside Down Cake

This cake is NEXT LEVEL. I must urge you to make it this winter. All the goodness of a light and fluffy vanilla cake, with caramel sauce and nutty pecans - can you say DEVINE?! Enjoy it hot with ice cream or sliced for morning tea, you will be the talk of the town if you bring this to any soiree. Since writing this intro paragraph, the cake has sat in my cupboard for a couple days now, and let me tell you - it has only got better with age. The syrup has dissolved into the cake to make a super sticky outer crumb and those pecans are just *mwah* God's gift.

Cake

150g butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups caster sugar

2 egg whites

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup milk powder (I highly recommended picking this up it makes a big difference to texture and is inexpensive but if you don’t have time, leave it out and use full fat milk instead of water below)

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

200ml water

Caramel Sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cream

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 160°C. Line a square cake tin or dish with baking paper, about 22cm x 22cm.

Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl or bowl of your stand mixer and beat for about 4 minutes, until pale. Add the egg whites and beat for a further 2 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.

Add flour, milk powder, baking powder, salt and water to the bowl and use a spatula to gently fold together. Set aside.

Place brown sugar and cream in a small pot on low heat, heat for about 2 minutes, until sugar is completely dissolved.

Roughly chop some pecans and leave some whole. Place in the bottom of prepared tin and then pour over the caramel.

Dollop the cake batter on top and spread out evenly. Bake for about 55 minutes, until cake is cooked through.

Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes, which will give the caramel time to set. Place a piece of baking paper on top of the dish, then a chopping board on top. Using oven mits or tea towels, hold the dish and the board together, and flip them upside down so the cake is now on the board.

Reveal your beautiful creation! I enjoy this warm with some vanilla ice cream.