Showing posts with label Cakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cakes. Show all posts

8/28/25

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares

A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolate Bars. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
  2. WHAT ARE DUBAI CHOCOLATE BARS?
  3. WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL?
  4. WHERE TO GET PISTACHIO BUTTER

Thanks to TikTok, my youngest daughter is obsessed with Dubai Chocolate Bars. Within days of first seeing a video about them she set out to make her own.

She researched the ingredients, ordered a few hard-to-find ones online (don’t worry – this recipe uses ingredients you can find at any grocery store!) and even bought candy bar molds and everything!).

And I must say, I am equally in love with the flavors and textures of this confection! So much so that I made these cake squares in their honor!

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares! A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolate Bars.

WHAT ARE DUBAI CHOCOLATE BARS?

Dubai Chocolate bars are candy bars with a crispy pistachio cream filling covered with milk chocolate. The cream filling is made with pistachio butter (like peanut butter or Nutella but made from pistachios) and a crispy shredded phyllo pastry called knafeh (kunafa or kataif).

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares! A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolate Bars.

WHAT MAKES DUBAI CHOCOLATE SO SPECIAL?

FLAVOR: Roasted pistachios and milk chocolate go together on such a mind-blowing level that if Reese’s tried it before peanut butter and chocolate, America’s favorite candy combo would have a green center.

TEXTURE: The ultra creamy pistachio butter mixed with the crispy knafeh creates the most amazingly perfect contrast. It’s brilliant!

BEAUTY: The luxurious, rich chocolate browns combined with the fresh, crisp greens from the pistachios is gorgeous. Seriously, it’s just pretty to look at. 

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares! A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolate Bars.

OK, well The Baby might have the patience and attention to detail to rock out homemade confections with ingredients she had to order online, but this mama ain’t cut from the same stuff.

It’s verrrrry rare that I cook anything with ingredients I can’t find at my grocery store AND I don’t have the gentle touch is takes to pour chocolate into molds. Especially when you have to add a filling! YIKES! 

So, I made these cake bars instead! And I made it with easy-to-find ingredients so you can taste the flavor combo yourselves!

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares! A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolate Bars.

WHERE TO GET PISTACHIO BUTTER (OR CREAM)

It’s also called pistachio “cream” by some manufacturers. Here are the brands available in the stores near me in South Carolina. 

WAL-MART: Bettergoods Pistachio Nut Butter (what I used for this batch)

FRESH MARKET: The Fresh Market Pistachio Cream

PUBLIX: Il Colle del Gusto Pistacchiosa

AMAZON: Gusto Etna Pistachio Butter (We’ve used this brand for the chocolate bars and the cake bars)   

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares! A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolate Bars.

INGREDIENTS FOR DUBAI CHOCOLATE CAKE SQUARES

Cake Layer: Pistachio pudding mix, white cake mix, eggs, milk and oil are combined to make the cake layer.

Dubai Chocolate Topping: Milk chocolate chips are melted with pistachio butter then stirred with Rice Krispies cereal (to mimic the crispy shredded phyllo pastry) then everything gets topped with chopped pistachios.

The Substitution: If you can easily find the crispy shredded phyllo pastry called knafeh (kunafa or kataif), then definitely use it! If not, plain Rice Krispies offer the same crispy crunch with a very similar flavor! 

Recipe for How to Make Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares! A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolate Bars.

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares
Yield: 24 Squares
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

A simple recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolates.

Ingredients

Pistachio Cake Layer:
  • 1 box instant pistachio pudding
  • 1 white cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
Dubai Chocolate Layer:
  • 1 12-oz bag milk chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons pistachio butter (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup Rice Krispies cereal
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios

Instructions

Pistachio Cake Layer:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 cake pan with parchment or aluminum foil then spray lightly with cooking spray.
  2. Combine egg, egg white, milk and vegetable oil in a mixing bowl then stir until well combined.
  3. Add cake mix and pudding mix then stir until smooth. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan then bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes away clean.
  4. Cool cake completely in pan then top with Dubai Chocolate Layer.
Dubai Chocolate Layer:
  1. Add chocolate chips and pistachio butter to a glass bowl then heat in the microwave 1-2 minutes, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds, until the mixture is just melted and can be stirred smooth.
  2. Stir in Rice Krispies cereal and salt then spread over cooled cake.
  3. Sprinkle chopped pistachios over warm chocolate then cool completely.
  4. Once cool, lift from pan then cut into squares.

Notes

  • The brands of Pistachio Butter that I have used are very thin (can mostly be poured from the tablespoon without leaving too much behind on the spoon). If your pistachio butter is as thick as Nutella, use 3 tablespoons. If it’s as thick as traditional peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy), use 1/4 cup.
  • I imagine you could use any nut butter if you can’t find pistachio but use the measurements in the note above. I bet cashew butter would be delicious!
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips can be used but milk chocolate is best!
  • Use any 4-serving size box instant pistachio pudding.
dubai chocolate, easy, pistachio cake, cake squares, viral, tiktok, copycat, Dubai Knafeh Pistachio Chocolate Bar, crispy, shredded phyllo pastry, knafeh, kunafa, kataif, pistachio pudding, milk chocolate, rice krispies, rice cereal, original, best
dessert
American
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7/24/25

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

A rich, decadent chocolate buttercream cake frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar that comes out perfect every time!

JUMP TO RECIPE

I mentioned this when I published my original No-Fail Buttercream Frosting (the white one that can be flavored with any extract - vanilla, lemon, almond, coconut, peppermint, etc.), the hardest thing about buttercream recipes is measurements. Particularly with powdered sugar.

I could measure 4 cups of powdered sugar ten times and get 10 different amounts by weight. Humidity, age and even barometric pressure can effect the density of the powdery stuff. Plus we all measure differently (scooping with a heavy hand vs. spooning into a measuring cup yields very different amounts).

And since most of us don't want to drag out a scale and fuss with weighing ingredients, I created both the original and this chocolate buttercream by starting with a 1-pound box of powdered sugar. No measuring required!

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! A rich, decadent chocolate buttercream cake frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar that comes out perfect every time!

With the powdered sugar sorted, now the only ingredient we need to worry about getting right is the cream. We'll start with 1/3 cup then add more, one tablespoon at a time, until we get what we want.

I wish I could tell you an exact amount but it varies every time I make it. 

Temperature is the biggest culprit here, both of the butter and of the room. Just a few degrees difference one way or the other will make the frosting firmer or looser. And we get it where we want it with cream.

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! A rich, decadent chocolate buttercream cake frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar that comes out perfect every time!

4 SUPER IMPORTANT RECIPE NOTES

  1. This recipe uses SALTED butter (as do all my recipes). If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 tsp salt when sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together.
  2. Make sure your butter temperature is just right. If it's too soft, the frosting may appear grainy. If it's too firm, the ingredients won't come together properly. "Room Temperature" is usually defined by bakers as 68 degrees. You just need it to be warm enough to have no visible lumps when creamed with a mixer. 
  3. You can use milk or half-and-half instead of cream but the heavy cream really makes this glossy and gorgeous (I think the higher fat content plays better with the butter).
  4. Sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder is optional but I highly recommended it. Both ingredients can have tiny "nuggets" of compressed sugar or cocoa that don't always break up when mixing the frosting.

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! A rich, decadent chocolate buttercream cake frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar that comes out perfect every time!

WHAT'S THE BEST COCOLATE CAKE TO SERVE THIS WITH?

Y'all know I don't have anything against box cake mixes and this homemade frosting is a great way to dress one up!

But my favorite chocolate cake in the WORLD is the vintage recipe from Hershey's for Black Magic Cake. It's as easy to make as a box mix and it's intensely delicious!

And here's a picture of this exact buttercream frosting on that glorious Black Magic Cake!

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! A rich, decadent chocolate buttercream cake frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar that comes out perfect every time!

HOW MUCH CAKE CAN THIS BUTTERCREAM FROST?

  • 1 generously frosted 13x9 cake
  • 1 two-layer 8" or 9" cake
  • 1 generously frosted bundt cake
  • 24 traditional cupcakes (applied with a spoon or knife)
  • 12-15 generously frosted cupcakes (like with a piping bag)

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! A rich, decadent chocolate buttercream cake frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar that comes out perfect every time!

5 CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM TIPS

  1. For a GORGEOUSLY dark and dreamy frosting with more intense chocolate flavor, use a dark cocoa powder like Hershey's "Special Dark".
  2. Refrigerate the frosting up to one week or freeze up to 3 months. To use, bring to room temperature then stir well with a rubber spatula or mix with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
  3. Add one teaspoon espresso powder with the cocoa powder for a mocha flavor.
  4. Substitute vanilla extract with almond, coconut or peppermint extract for fun flavor alternatives.
  5. If you're making a cake with cherries in it (especially maraschino cherries), substitute almond extract for vanilla because it goes especially well with any cake that has cherries in it!

Recipe for How to Make No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! A rich, decadent chocolate buttercream cake frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar that comes out perfect every time!

Looking for an equally easy homemade chocolate cake recipe to slather this glorious frosting on?? Make Hershey's vintage Black Magic Cake! It's as easy to make as a box mix and it's intensely delicious!

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Yield: 3 cups
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min

A rich, decadent chocolate buttercream cake frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar that comes out perfect every time!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup butter at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream plus more

Instructions

  1. Sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder then set aside. Note: sifting is optional but recommended. 1 lb. powdered sugar, 3/4 c. cocoa powder
  2. Combine butter, vanilla and cream in a large mixing bowl then beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes or until completely smooth and fluffy. 1 c. butter, 2 tsp vanilla, 1/3 c. cream
  3. Add sugar/cocoa mixture then mix on low speed until well incorporated.
  4. Once all ingredients are well combined, increase mixer speed to medium-high then mix until frosting is fluffy and smooth, adding additional cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency.

Notes

  • This recipe uses SALTED butter. If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 tsp salt when sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together.
  • Make sure your butter temperature is just right. If it's too soft, the frosting may appear grainy. If it's too firm, the ingredients won't come together properly. "Room Temperature" is usually defined by bakers as 68 degrees. You just need it to be warm enough to have no visible lumps when creamed with a mixer. 
  • You can use milk or half-and-half instead of cream but the heavy cream really makes this glossy and gorgeous.
  • Sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder is optional but I highly recommended it.
  • For a GORGEOUSLY dark and dreamy frosting with more intense chocolate flavor, use a dark cocoa powder like Hershey's "Special Dark".
  • 1 pound of powdered sugar yields approximately 4 cups.
  • Refrigerate the frosting up to one week or freeze up to 3 months. To use, bring to room temperature then stir well with a rubber spatula or mix with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
  • Yield for cake(s): one generously frosted 13x9 cake or one two-layer 8" or 9" cake.
  • Yield for cupcakes: 12-24 depending on technique. If using a piping bag, you will be able to generously frost 12-15 cupcakes. If spreading on with a spoon or knife, this recipe can frost a dozen cupcakes.
cocoa, powder, powdered sugar, buttercream, butter, cream, frosting, icing, cake, chocolate, no-fail, easy, foolproof, homemade, recipe, how to, butter, fudge
dessert
American
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7/15/25

Black Magic Cake

A homemade dark chocolate cake that's as easy and moist as a box mix using a vintage no-fail Hershey's recipe.

JUMP TO RECIPE

I've always been the oddball in the cooking world who actually LIKES boxed cake mixes. I know, I know, that's ludicrous, right?

Well, aside from them being EASY, they're also so incredibly moist and tender. I've tried SO MANY homemade cake recipes over the years that were just too dry and too firm for my liking. Especially chocolate cakes.

I've figured out how to recreate something similarly tender and moist with sheet cake recipes but no traditional cake recipe holds a candle to this classic from Hershey's. Check out my two favorite sheet cake recipes: The BEST Chocolate Sheet Cake and Birthday Texas Sheet Cake  (Yellow Texas Sheet Cake)

Black Magic Cake! A homemade dark chocolate cake that's as easy and moist as a box mix using a vintage no-fail Hershey's recipe frosted with an equally easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

I originally found this recipe in an old Hershey's cookbook from my childhood (waaaaay back in the 1900's). It was small with a metal, spiral binding with an illustration of a little girl licking a spoon and it was chocked full of excellent recipes. Anybody remember that cookbook?? 

What drew my attention to the Black Magic Cake was that it was easy enough for 10-year old me to make. I didn't have to melt chocolate or combine the ingredients in a persnickety way AND I could make it in one 13x9 pan instead of trying to take on a layered cake. 

The cake is absolutely delicious as-is (without frosting) so I never frosted it much when I made it as a kid. If I did, I usually just grabbed a can of ready-made frosting. I still do just that sometimes!

Black Magic Cake! A homemade dark chocolate cake that's as easy and moist as a box mix using a vintage no-fail Hershey's recipe frosted with an equally easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

But when I really want to put on the dog, I make this No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (pictured) which is ta die for and equally easy to make!

Just like the cake recipe, this buttercream uses cocoa powder instead of chocolate so it is super easy to whip up!

You can also use my recipe for No-Fail Buttercream Frosting which is a white frosting that can be flavored however you like... vanilla, coconut, peppermint, almond, lemon... just use whichever extract you'd like to flavor the buttercream. 

Black Magic Cake! A homemade dark chocolate cake that's as easy and moist as a box mix using a vintage no-fail Hershey's recipe frosted with an equally easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

6 REASONS I LOVE THIS RECIPE

  1. All the ingredients get mixed in one bowl at the same time, making it as easy as a box mix.
  2. Cocoa powder is used to flavor the cake so you don't have to fool with melting chocolate.
  3. It is insanely moist and stays that way! I suspect this is likely to do with the use of vegetable oil instead of butter or shortening.
  4. The chocolate flavor is rich and deep from the black coffee (which is likely where the cake got its name).
  5. It doesn't have to be frosted but it's next-level delicious if you do. It can flex from weekday snack cake to decadent dessert depending on what you need.
  6. There's a certain warm-and-fuzzy nostalgia to using vintage recipes like this one!

Black Magic Cake! A homemade dark chocolate cake that's as easy and moist as a box mix using a vintage no-fail Hershey's recipe frosted with an equally easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

A FEW RECIPE NOTES

  • The cake does NOT taste like coffee. The coffee just amplifies the chocolate flavor and adds to the rich dark color. I hear you can substitute boiling water for the coffee but I've never tried it myself.
  • This cake can also be made in round cake pans or a bundt pan BUT you will need to grease and flour the pan(s). Bake 8-9" round pans 25-30 minutes, bundt pan 50-55 minutes.
  • Substitute buttermilk with this milk/vinegar combo if needed: Add 3 teaspoons white vinegar to a 1-cup measuring pitcher then fill to the 1-cup line with milk. Let rest at least 5 minutes for the vinegar to "sour" the milk.

Black Magic Cake! A homemade dark chocolate cake that's as easy and moist as a box mix using a vintage no-fail Hershey's recipe frosted with an equally easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

MORE CHOCOLATE CAKES TO TRY!

CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE - A true southern chocolate pound cake recipe that’s moist and fudgy and packed with rich chocolate flavor. 

IMPOSSIBLE 5-INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CAKE - An impossibly moist, fudgy, decadent chocolate bundt cake recipe made with just five ingredients. 

THE BEST CHOCOLATE TEXAS SHEET CAKE - A tried-and-true family recipe for velvety tender chocolate cake with old-fashioned cocoa icing poured on while the cake is still warm. 

EARTHQUAKE CAKE - A decadent chocolate cake with pecans, coconut, chocolate chips and an ooey-gooey cream cheese frosting explosion that cracks the cake apart! 

BLACK-BOTTOM CUPCAKES - A shortcut recipe for the classic chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate chip cream cheese filling. 

Recipe for Black Magic Cake

Black Magic Cake! A homemade dark chocolate cake that's as easy and moist as a box mix using a vintage no-fail Hershey's recipe frosted with an equally easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Get the recipe for this no muss, no fuss frosting made easy with cocoa powder and a 1-lb box of powdered sugar!

NO-FAIL CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Black Magic Cake

Black Magic Cake
Yield: 12 Servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min

A homemade dark chocolate cake that's as easy and moist as a box mix using a vintage no-fail Hershey's recipe that turns out perfect every time.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup hot black coffee
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
  2. Add sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl then whisk well. 2 c. sugar, 1 3/4 c. flour, 3/4 cup cocoa, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp each baking powder & salt
  3. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla then mix with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. 2 eggs, 1 c. each buttermilk & coffee, 1/2 c. oil, 1 tsp vanilla
  4. Pour batter into prepared pan then bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserting in the middle comes out clean.
  5. Cool completely then frost with No-Fail Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or your favorite frosting.

Notes

  • The cake does NOT taste like coffee. The coffee just amplifies the chocolate flavor and adds to the rich dark color. I hear you can substitute boiling water for the coffee but I've never tried it myself.
  • This cake can also be made in round cake pans or a bundt pan BUT you will need to grease and flour the pan(s). Bake 8-9" round pans 25-30 minutes, bundt pan 50-55 minutes.
  • Substitute buttermilk with this milk/vinegar combo if needed: Add 3 teaspoons white vinegar to a 1-cup measuring pitcher then fill to the 1-cup line with milk. Let rest at least 5 minutes for the vinegar to "sour" the milk.
black magic, chocolate, cocoa, devils food, devil's food, homemade, easy, box mix, moist, hersheys, hershey's, coffee, dark, cake, buttercream, cocoa powder, frosting, icing, vintage, classic, best
dessert
American
Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!


3/24/24

Pecan Cobbler

An easy, homemade dessert recipe with a warm, gooey butterscotch/caramel sauce that’s baked-in under a pecan-studded cake layer as the cobbler bakes.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Do you remember my recipe for Chocolate Cobbler?? I call it the “OG Molten Lava Cake” because that recipe has been producing cake with a baked-in hot chocolate sauce for decades. Before lava cakes made it cool.

I make it All. The. Time. because it’s so easy to throw together and the results are insanely decadent and delicious. Seriously, if I have half a carton of vanilla ice cream in the freezer that looks sad and lonely, I whip up that Chocolate Cobbler et voila, I’m a rockstar. 

I got to thinking about it the other day and wondered what other flavor cobbler I might be able to make with the same base recipe.

Pecan Cobbler! An easy, homemade dessert recipe with a warm, gooey butterscotch/caramel sauce that’s baked-in under a pecan-studded cake layer as the cobbler bakes.

I could try with fruit but part of what’s fun about the chocolate version is that it’s called cobbler but, unexpectedly, doesn’t have any fruit.

It’s really all about that sauce that bakes under the cake-like part and when I focused on that, I knew it would be easy to make a caramel/butterscotch version! Seriously, uuuggghhhhh, hot caramelly sauce with vanilla ice cream?? Yes, please!!

And it took me all of 3 seconds to decide to add pecans because those flavors just GO together!! 

Pecan Cobbler! An easy, homemade dessert recipe with a warm, gooey butterscotch/caramel sauce that’s baked-in under a pecan-studded cake layer as the cobbler bakes.

I’m using butterscotch and caramel interchangeably here but I really shouldn’t because the only difference in the two is that butterscotch is made with brown sugar and caramel is made with white sugar and I made this recipe with all brown sugar.

So, that would make this a butterscotch sauce but – and y’all be patient with me while I overthink everything – it tastes more like caramel to me.

You know what? Let’s all call it what we want and be happy because we get to eat some!

Pecan Cobbler! An easy, homemade dessert recipe with a warm, gooey butterscotch/caramel sauce that’s baked-in under a pecan-studded cake layer as the cobbler bakes.

INGREDIENTS FOR PECAN COBBLER

I separate the ingredients in the recipe card below to make it easier to follow but the base and the topping have a lot of the same ingredients.

  • Brown sugar
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Milk
  • Vanilla extract
  • Butter
  • Pecans
  • Boiling water
Pecan Cobbler! An easy, homemade dessert recipe with a warm, gooey butterscotch/caramel sauce that’s baked-in under a pecan-studded cake layer as the cobbler bakes.

FAQ ABOUT PECAN COBBLER

Is this what’s called a hot water cobbler?  It surely is. This type of baked dessert makes its own sauce by pouring hot or boiling water over sugar just before the dish goes in the oven.

Can I substitute walnuts for pecans?  You surely can but it won't be a pecan cobbler anymore.

Can I use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose?  Yes! Omit the baking powder and reduce the salt from 1/2 teaspoon to just a pinch (we need a fair amount of salt in this to bring out the flavor in the sauce).

Can I use unsalted butter?  Yes, but you’ll need to add a pinch of salt. See the note in parenthesis above.

Pecan Cobbler! An easy, homemade dessert recipe with a warm, gooey butterscotch/caramel sauce that’s baked-in under a pecan-studded cake layer as the cobbler bakes.

Can I add cinnamon?  You don’t need me for this one. You can add cinnamon to anything you want any time you want to. You do you, girl. Pumpkin Pie Spice, cinnamon and nutmeg would all be lovely in this – especially in the Fall!

Can I double the recipe?  Yes! If you do, bake in a 13x9 baking dish.

Can I make this the night before or ahead of when I want to serve it?  This is BEST when it's hot from the oven. Once the cobbler sets, the cake-like part will eventually absorb the syrup. It is still delicious but you won't have the gooey layer underneath.

Can I add fruit?  Probably. But I’m not sure what changes you’d need to make with the rest of the recipe to tell you exactly how. My guess would be to add canned pie filling to the dish before the batter, but you may need less water. If anyone tries, please comment below to let us know!

Pecan Cobbler! An easy, homemade dessert recipe with a warm, gooey butterscotch/caramel sauce that’s baked-in under a pecan-studded cake layer as the cobbler bakes.

MORE PECAN DESSERT RECIPES TO TRY

PECAN PIE CAKE - All the warm caramel and toasted pecan flavors of a pecan pie in a super simple snack cake made with just a few ingredients and NO cake mix. 

PECAN CREAM DEEP DISH PIE - Brown sugar swirled with warm melted butter then mixed with cream cheese, pecans and whipped topping. 

PECAN POUND CAKE WITH THE BEST PECAN CREAM FROSTING - A decadent Southern pound cake recipe made with sour cream and pecans topped with an ultra-creamy pecan-studded cream cheese frosting. 

EASY PECAN PIE BARS - All the fabulous flavor of pecan pie in a chewy, gooey bar recipe made easy with a cake mix base. 

CLASSIC PECAN PIE - A no-fail recipe for pecan pie with a smooth, caramelly filling studded with southern pecans perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! 

Recipe for Pecan Cobbler

Pecan Cobbler

Pecan Cobbler
Yield: 9 Servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min

An easy, homemade dessert recipe with a warm, gooey butterscotch/caramel sauce that’s baked-in under a pecan-studded cake layer as the cobbler bakes.

Ingredients

Base:
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 2 cups chopped pecans
Topping:
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 1/4 cups boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the base:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ceramic or glass dishes don't need to be greased. If using a metal pan, spray with cooking spray.
  2. Combine brown sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl then mix well, breaking up any brown sugar lumps if necessary; set aside.
  3. Add milk, vanilla and melted butter to dry ingredients then mix by hand or with an electric mixer set on low until just combined and smooth.
  4. Spread mixture into a 2-quart baking dish then top with pecans.
Make the topping:
  1. Sprinkle brown sugar and salt evenly over pecans.
  2. Add vanilla to water then pour water slowly over brown sugar. Do not stir.
Bake:
  1. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until cobbler is nearly set in the middle and pecans are starting to brown.
  2. Cool 10 minutes then serve warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream for a special treat!

Notes

  • This is BEST when it's first cooked. Once it sets for a while, the cake will absorb the hot syrup.
  • Use light or dark brown sugar.
  • This cooks in a 2-quart dish. If you’re unsure which pan to use, you can pour 8 cups of water into one and see how it fits.
  • Any other questions are likely answered in the FAQ section above the recipe card.
pecan cobbler, pecan pie, pecans, cobbler, dessert, easy, sauce, syrup, sundae, caramel, butterscotch, best, gooey, lava, cake, molten, recipe, old fashioned, how to, hot water, boiling
dessert
american, southern
Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!