I was sitting in the dentist’s office while my daughter had her first dental appointment, and while I waited I copied some recipes put of the holiday edition of Southern Living for 2007. This was one of them. I made it last week and although I had intended it for a family gathering, we ate more than half of it before the party. It was THAT good!

Bundt Cake
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup softened butter
1 (8 ounce) package of softened cream cheese
16 ounces dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 ounces sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

Bake the chopped pecans at 350º for 5-7 minutes on a cookie sheet until toasted. Let cool.

Beat together butter and cream cheese. Add brown sugar and eggs.

Sift together four, baking powder, baking soda,. And salt. Add dry mixture alternately with sour cream to the butter mixture. Stir in pecans and vanilla.

Spoon batter into Bundt pan. Bake at 325º for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool.

Top with hot praline icing and sugared pecans. See below.

Praline Icing
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup butter
¼ cup milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla.

Bring brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil, whisky the whole time. Allow to boil 1 minute, still whisking. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir 3-5 minutes.

Pour over Bundt cake while icing is still hot.

Sugared Pecans
1 egg white
4 cups pecan halves
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar

Whisk egg whites to a foam. Add pecan to coat. Combine sugars and sprinkle over pecans. Bake a t 350º for 18-20 minutes.

I would have taken a picture, but I did not think to do so before we all had our first slices. I will take a photo next time, because this is a truly beautiful cake.