Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups (315g) All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) Granulated sugar (for base)
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • ½ tsp Baking soda
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ¾ cup (170g) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (240ml) Full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 16 oz (450g) Full-fat cream cheese, brick style, softened
  • ½ cup (100g) Granulated sugar (for cheesecake)
  • 1 Large egg (for cheesecake)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 1 ½ cups (150g) Pecan halves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup (110g) Light brown sugar, packed
  • 4 tbsp (56g) Unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp Heavy cream or dark corn syrup
  • 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp Sea salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream 170g softened butter and 200g granulated sugar until pale and aerated. Add 2 eggs one at a time, followed by 1 tsp vanilla extract.
  3. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Spread two-thirds of this batter into the prepared pan.
  4. In a medium bowl, whip the cream cheese and 100g granulated sugar until smooth. Incorporate 1 egg and vanilla bean paste on low speed, then pour this mixture over the cake base in the pan.
  5. Dollop the remaining one-third of the cake batter over the cheesecake layer. In a small bowl, toss chopped pecans, brown sugar, melted butter, heavy cream, cinnamon, and sea salt. Scatter this mixture evenly over the top.
  6. Bake for 55 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is set but retains a slight jiggle. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.