1½ cups finely chopped pecans
1 tablespoon plus 2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, warmed to room temperature
3 large egg yolks, warmed to room temperature
Glaze
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
DIRECTIONS:
In a small mixing bowl, combine the chopped pecans with 1 tablespoon flour.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the pecans in the bottom of the prepared pan. Set rest of pecans aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Tip: To cream, start by placing the butter in the bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed begin by beating the butter about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the butter, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 8 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the butter and sugar are fully incorporated and the mixture is a light, or pale yellow color, with a fluffy texture.
While adding the sugar, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed. Tip: For each egg, crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly break up the egg before adding to the creamed mixture. Start with the mixer on low speed so the liquid from the egg doesn’t splatter, once the egg is partially mixed increase the speed to medium. Each egg should be fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next egg, taking about one minute to blend in each egg.
With the mixer on low speed, add vanilla and about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended.Scrape the bowl down and continue the flour mixture.
Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold floured pecans into the batter.
Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 65 to 75 minutes or until a long toothpick, wooden skewer, or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pan and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Glaze:
In 1-quart saucepan, cook butter, brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and whipping cream over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat; pour into medium bowl. Cool 20 minutes. With whisk, beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Immediately pour over cake.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons pecans on top. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
