Julie Goodwin’s buttery pecan slab cake

Preheat oven to 170°C fan-forced. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm x 30cm pan.

In a saucepan over medium heat, place the 50g butter and the chopped pecans. Cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until the butter turns brown and the nuts are golden and fragrant. Tip the mixture out onto a plate and wipe out the saucepan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Place the 200g of butter and the water into the saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, pour into the flour and sugar mixture and stir until combined. 

Stir through the milk, then add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Fold through the buttered pecan mixture until well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until golden and firm in the middle. If the cake is starting to overbrown towards the end of baking, cover loosely with foil. When cooked, a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.

Cool the pecan cake in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

BROWN SUGAR CREAM CHEESE ICING Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and beat with electric hand beaters until light and fluffy.

CANDIED PECANS Place the pecans into a medium saucepan and toast, shaking the pan. Sift the icing sugar over the pecans in batches, shaking and stirring after each addition, until it is all added. Stir until the sugar turns to liquid and turns a caramel colour. Tip the candied pecans onto a piece of baking paper on a clean chopping board and, while still hot, use two forks to separate them. Allow to cool and harden.

Spread the cream cheese icing on top of cake and arrange the candied pecans over the top.