Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch springform pan.

Melt unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and add chopped pecans to toast for about 3-4 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar and one egg until fully mixed.

In a large bowl, combine cooled brown butter with granulated sugar, beat in eggs, vanilla extract, and optional bourbon until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with buttermilk, mixing until just combined.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, add the cream cheese layer, then top with remaining batter and reserved pecans.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on edges while keeping the center slightly jiggly.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Prepare caramel sauce by melting granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in butter and heavy cream until smooth.

Drizzle the warm caramel sauce over the chilled cake and top with additional chopped pecans before serving.