Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour three 8-inch cake pans set aside.  Get out a bowl, measure out the flour.  Sift the flour at least 3- times, then, remeasure, set aside.  Get out a heavy skillet, add 3 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, once the butter melts add the pecan pieces.  Stir and gently toss the nuts in the butter until you can smell them.  This step takes 3-4 minutes.  Pour the nuts out the skillet onto a cutting board and allow them to cool.  Get out a container, add the butter and whole mile, mix well, set aside.  Get out another bowl, add the dry ingredient, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, mix well, set aside.  To make sure your counters are full you are gonna get out another bowl, add the softened butter to this bowl, beat with an electric mixer until the butter is fluffy and pale.  Gradually add the sugar and cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at and time and mix well after each addition. Add the vanilla with the last egg. It’s now time to start adding the wet and dry ingredients.  Start and end with the dry ingredients.  Add about a 3rd of the flour, mix on the low speed until the flour is combined then add about half the wet ingredient repeat this process.  Fold in the nuts.  Add the batter into the greased and floured cake pans.  Bake for 23-25 minutes.  Stick a butter knife into the center of the cake, if it comes out clean the cake is done.  Remove the cakes from the oven, run your butter knife around the edges of each cake pan and place them on a wire rack to cool.  While the cakes are cooling let’s make the frosting.

FROSTING

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened, 3/4 cup butter, softened, 1 1/4 cup pecan pieces, 1 1/2 teaspoon butternut extract,  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground mace, 6 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Get out a heavy skillet add 1 tablespoon of butter, when the butter melts add 1/4 cup of the pecans, caramelize the pecan set aside and allow to cool.  Get out a large bowl add all the ingredient except the nuts and sugar beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.  Gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth.  Fold in about 1/3 of the nuts.  Frost the cake beginning with the layers then the sides last but not least the top layer sprinkle the pecans on top.  The caramelized nuts add a punch of flavor and crunch to this frosting.