Ingredients
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Butter Layer: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
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Batter:
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1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
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1 cup granulated sugar
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3/4 cup whole milk
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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Pecan Layer:
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1 1/2 cups pecan halves or coarsely chopped pecans
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Topping & Boiling Water:
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1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
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1/2 cup dark corn syrup (or pure maple syrup)
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1 1/2 cups boiling water
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Instructions
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Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Pour the melted butter directly into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
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Mix & Pour Batter: In a bowl, whisk self-rising flour, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour batter over the melted butter in the pan. Do not stir.
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Add Pecans & Sugar: Evenly scatter pecans over the batter. Sprinkle brown sugar across the top. Drizzle corn syrup as evenly as possible over the sugar layer.
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Pour Water: Carefully pour the boiling water over the entire dish. Do not stir. The magic of this recipe happens as the batter rises to the top during baking while the water and sugars settle into a rich caramel pecan sauce underneath.
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Bake: Bake for 35–40 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the center is set.
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Serve: Let cool for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream.
Pro-Tips
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Self-Rising Flour Substitute: Mix 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 1/4 tsp baking powder + 3/4 tsp salt.
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Warm Spice: Add 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg to the flour mixture for extra warmth.