Butter Pecan Pound Cake with Maple Glaze

Ingredients:

Cake

3/4pound unsalted butter (3 sticks) room temperature

2-1/2cups granulated sugar

3/4cup brown sugar packed

7large eggs room temperature

1tbsp vanilla extract

1cup milk

3cups all-purpose flour

1tsp baking powder

1/2tsp salt

1/4tsp nutmeg optional

Toasted Pecans

2tbsp unsalted butter

2cups pecans chopped + extra for garnish

Glaze

1cup powdered sugar

1tbsp milk

1/2tsp maple extract or rum extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt cake or tube pan. Line rmmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Toss in chopped pecans and stir to coat. Heat pecans until fragrant and slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn nuts out onto parchment lined baking sheet. Spread into a single layer to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. On medium speed using paddle attachment or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time. Beat 45 seconds after each addition.
Stir in vanilla and mix 30 more seconds.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
At low speed, add 1/2 the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just blended. Pour in half the milk and beat on low until just blended.Scrape down the sides of the bowl then repeat the steps of adding the remaining flour mixture and milk.
Fold toasted pecans into batter until well evenly dispersed.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan and fill no more than 2/3 full, leaving 2 inches of room for the cake to rise. Smooth the top with a spoon or spatula.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, or until toothpick insert comes out clean and cake is starting to pull away from sides of pan.
Remove form oven and allow to cool 15 minutes before inverting and removing cake from pan.
Make the Glaze
In a small bowl, use a fork to stir the powdered sugar with milk and maple extract. Continue stirring until smooth and glossy. Drizzle over cool cake. Garnish with pecans.
Freezer Instructions
Cool baked cake completely. For best results, do not glaze. Wrap cake in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Place in a plastic freezer bag and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thawing: Thaw wrapped cake on the counter overnight. Condensation will gather on the outside due to the temperature difference, so keep cake wrapped until completely thawed.
Glaze and serve.