Miso and Maple Pecan-Butter Mochi Cake

Preparation

1. Pecans

   Step 1

   Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil. Using your hands, toss 8 oz. raw pecans, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups), 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 2 tsp. white or yellow miso in a medium bowl until well coated. Spread out on prepared baking sheet; bake until fragrant and matte looking, 6–8 minutes (nuts won’t be fully toasted). Let cool.

2. Cake and Assembly

   Step 2

   Lightly grease a 9"-diameter cake pan with unsalted butter and line bottom with a parchment paper round. Vigorously whisk 2 large eggs, 1¼ cups (250 g) sugar, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl until smooth. Add one 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, well shaken, heated slightly if fat is solid, 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, and whisk well. Add 1⅔ cups (254 g) mochiko and 1 tsp. baking powder; whisk vigorously until combined and batter is smooth and thick. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

   Step 3

   Toss pecans to break up any clumps and scatter evenly over batter, going all the way to the edges (it may seem like a lot). Bake cake until sides start to pull away from pan, top is golden brown, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (some pecans will sink), 50–55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack; peel away parchment and discard. Carefully turn cake right side up and let cool completely (at least 1 hour).

   Step 4

   To serve, slice cake and top with scoops of vanilla ice cream.