Butter Pecan Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

My mom and dad celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this week. I couldn't have asked for two better people to be my parents. Something I remember from my childhood that my parents always enjoyed together was butter pecan ice cream. I made them this cake to help them celebrate their incredible achievement. 

Recipe is adapted from Phyllis Edwards, Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients

• 1¼ cup butter, softened, divided 
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Icing:
• 2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 pkg (2 lbs) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 Tb milk, as necessary
• extra chopped pecans for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour three 9″ round cake pans.
2. In a medium heavy skillet, melt ¼ butter over medium heat. Add pecans; cook until toasted and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Spread across sheet of foil to cool.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine; set aside.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
5. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the flour (flour in 3 parts, milk in 2). Fold in toasted pecans.
6. Divide between cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pans. Cool completely.
7. For Icing: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla. Beat in enough milk, as necessary, to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cake. Store in refrigerator.