Southern Comfort Pecan Cake Bars (Printable)

Layers of pecan, chocolate, and bourbon caramel over a soft butter cake base—perfect for indulgent Southern-style desserts.

# Components:

→ Cake Base

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Bourbon Pecan Layer

08 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
10 - 1/4 cup Southern Comfort or bourbon
11 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream
12 - 2 cups pecan halves, roughly chopped
13 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then incorporate vanilla extract.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually blend dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
04 - Press the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan to form a uniform base layer.
05 - In a medium saucepan, melt brown sugar and butter together over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and quickly stir in Southern Comfort and heavy cream.
06 - Gently fold the chopped pecans and chocolate chips into the warm caramel mixture.
07 - Pour the bourbon pecan mixture evenly over the cake base and gently spread with a spatula to cover.
08 - Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is just slightly jiggly.
09 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, lift out using the parchment overhang and slice into 16 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Uses simple pantry staples to create a showstopper dessert
  • The texture is both gooey and crisp with notes of warm vanilla and toasty pecan
  • Easily adapts for bourbon lovers or a kid-friendly crowd
  • Perfect to bake ahead for parties since flavors deepen after a day
02 -
  • These bars are rich in fiber and healthy fats from pecans
  • They freeze beautifully for make-ahead entertaining
03 -
  • Lightly toast the pecans in a dry skillet before adding to the caramel for an even nutty crunch
  • Always use parchment paper so the bars pop out perfectly For clean slices use a sharp serrated knife and wipe between cuts Patience pays off let the bars cool completely before removing from the pan

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