Southern Pecan Cobbler Dump Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven is heating, place the butter into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and put it in the oven until it is melted.

Scatter the pecans evenly over the surface of the baking pan.

Prepare the cake mix as the package directs and spoon very carefully over the nuts, so that the nuts are not disturbed; do not stir.

Scatter the brown sugar in an even layer over the batter. Gently pour the hot water over the brown sugar layer until it is completely moistened.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top of the cake is firm and browned. Because of the soft bottom layer, it will not test done with the toothpick test but it will firm up as it cools on a cooling rack for at least 45 minutes before cutting to serve.

Fun Facts About Pecans

Pecan trees are native to North America. The name “pecan” is an Alogonquian word referring to any nut that needs to be cracked with a stone.

The former governor of Texas, James Stephen Hogg, had a pecan tree planted in lieu of a gravestone in 1906. In 1919, the state of Texas declared the pecan tree as its state tree.

Many cities around the United State host pecan festivals during the fall harvest season. The Louisiana Pecan Festival is held yearly in Colfax, Louisiana, and the Pecan Street Festival takes place annually in Austin, Texas.

Native Americans and early colonials used pecans for trading and regarded them as a delicacy, but they were not commercially grown until the 1880s.

The United States is responsible for about 80% of the world’s pecan crop. Georgia, Texas, and New Mexico are some of the leading pecan producers in the United States.