Place chopped pecans and 6 tbls butter onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Stir nuts every 2 minutes until golden brown add time if needed.
4 cups pecans, 6 tablespoons butter
Remove from sheet pan and allow to cool.
Instructions for Butter Pecan Cake:
Cream sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes.
1 ½ cups butter, 3 cups sugar
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4 ½ cups flour, 3 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
Add eggs, 1 at a time until just combined. Stir in vanilla. Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and finishing with the flour. Stir in 2 cups of toasted pecans.
Pour batter into 3 greased 9-inch round baking pans. Pour balance of batter into cupcake pan lined with cupcake liners. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from the pans. Allow to completely cool on wire racks. Note if you have extra batter, you can make cupcakes.
Instructions for Buttercream Frosting:
For frosting, cream butter until white and fluffy 6-7 minutes using a stand or hand mixer.
3 cups butter
Slowly mix in powder sugar two cups at a time, mixing until smooth.
8 cups powdered sugar
Add vanilla. Mix in heavy cream until desired consistency is reached. Stir in 1 1/3 cups toasted pecans.
3 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1-2 tbls heavy cream
Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Decorate with remaining pecans.