Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or a bundt pan.
Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, vegetable oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3 minutes. Add in the maple syrup and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the sour cream and whole milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined, making sure not to overmix. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Add Pecans: Fold in the toasted, chopped pecans. If you haven’t toasted them yet, simply toss them in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting: While the cake cools, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Frost and Serve: Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Garnish with extra chopped pecans if desired.
