Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place 3 tablespoons of butter on a baking sheet and allow it to melt. Once melted, add the pecans and stir to coat them evenly. Spread them out and bake for 6-8 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even roasting. Be cautious not to overcook them as they roast quickly. Allow the pecans to cool before chopping.

Grease and flour three 8x2 inch round cake pans. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Set this mixture aside.

In your mixer’s bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add in the sugar, mixing on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until the mixture becomes fluffy and light in color. If using a hand mixer, you may need to mix slightly longer.

Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each yolk is fully incorporated before adding the next.

With the mixer on low speed, alternate between adding the dry flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 dry additions, 2 wet additions). Mix just until everything is combined—avoid overmixing.

Fold in the chopped buttered pecans carefully to ensure even distribution throughout the batter.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 5-10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Place your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes (or 30 minutes in the refrigerator) to chill.

Using a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This can happen quickly, so stay attentive. Once the cream holds a peak when lifted, it’s ready. Keep the whipped cream in the refrigerator while you proceed.

In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Keep the frosting refrigerated until you’re ready to use it. If it softens too much during assembly, pop it in the fridge for a bit to firm up.

Place the first cake layer on your serving platter or cake stand.

Spread a generous layer of the whipped cream cheese frosting on top, leaving a ¼ inch gap around the edges. Sprinkle some of the remaining buttered pecans over the frosting, pressing them gently into place with a spatula.

Add the second layer of cake and repeat the process.

Once the third layer is in place, frost the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream cheese frosting.

For a decorative finish, use an offset spatula to create texture on the sides as you rotate the cake. To complete the look, pipe stars using a French tip (869) along the top edge and scatter more buttered pecans for garnish. You can also use a star tip (21) to pipe a border around the base of the cake.

For a smoother finish, traditional cream cheese frosting can be used in place of whipped cream cheese frosting, depending on your design preference.