Carolina Butter Pecan Cake Bars Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and cook until toasted about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Combine white sugar and 1 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and butter extract.

Combine flour baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add to creamed butter mixture alternately with milk beating just until combined. Fold in pecans. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean 25 to 30 minutes.

Beat confectioners' sugar cream cheese 2/3 cup butter 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and almond extract in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in enough milk to give frosting a spreadable consistency.

Divide hot cake in half and chop 1 half into a large bowl. Stir in 1/4 of the frosting. Repeat with remaining half stirring in an additional 1/4 of the frosting. Spread mixture back into the baking pan; press flat with your fingers. Spread remaining frosting over the pressed cake mixture.

Refrigerate until firm 3 to 4 hours. Cut into bars.