By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on October 3, 2026
Serves 16
350 cal · 115 min
Gram's Best Brown Sugar Cake
Recipe GLPRb8a52bca626782
Rate this recipe
Average rating: 4.5 (1)
A tender, moist yellow cake swirled with brown sugar and pecans, accented with vanilla pudding and a light dusting of powdered sugar. This crowd-pleasing dessert has a rich, nutty flavor and a cake-like crumb that makes it perfect for family gatherings and special occasions.
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Ingredients
1 cup packed brown sugar
⅔ cup sour cream
4 large large eggs
1 packet vanilla instant pudding mix
½ cup vegetable oil
1 packet yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
⅔ cup water
2 tsp powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, sour cream, eggs, vanilla pudding mix, oil, and water. Using an electric mixer, beat until well blended and smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the yellow cake mix to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in the chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Prepare a 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan by spraying it lightly with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it level.
Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. The cake is done when a skewer shows no wet batter.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Gently loosen the cake from the sides of the pan using a thin spatula or knife.
Place a wire rack upside down over the top of the pan. Carefully invert the pan and rack together so the cake releases onto the rack. Remove the pan and let the cake cool completely, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Just before serving, lightly dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
Comments
This is a straightforward, budget-friendly cake that uses pantry staples every Charlotte-area grocer stocks—brown sugar, cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, pecans, and powdered sugar. The stated 115 minutes is honest for mixing and baking, though you should account for cooling before frosting. At roughly $1 to $1.50 per serving, it is genuinely cheap, with pecans being the only ingredient that might shift price depending on whether you buy them whole or opt for a bag of pieces. The main caveat: this is a same-night dessert that does not improve much on day two, so it suits a gathering or a family that will finish it within a day or two.
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