Categories: Cakes, Company Dessert, Thanksgiving
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 2 cups pecans chopped
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temp.
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups sifted flour
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
- 3 egg whites room temp.
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- GLAZE:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
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- FROSTING:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 8 egg yolks room temp.
- 1 1/2 cups margarine, cut into pieces
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups pecans, chopped, toasted
Directions
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CAKE: Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
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To candy pecans for use in cake, place in large ungreased metal pan. Roast 10 minutes, stir every 2 minutes.
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Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Mix in 1/4 cup butter. Stir in hot pecans to coat thoroughly. Return mixture to pan and roast 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Mix in 2 tablespoons vanilla and roast 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool candied pecans to room temp.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3, 8 inch round cake pans. Cream remaining 3/4 cup butter with 1 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl of electric mixer at high speed until very light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
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Sift flour and making powder into another bowl. Combine milk and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla in measuring cup. Add dry ingredients and milk mixture alternately to butter beating at high speed until well blended and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Gently stir in candied pecans. Beat egg whites until frothy. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until mixture is stiff but not dry, about 2 minutes. Gently fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared pans, forming slight depression in center of each.
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Bake until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
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Cool 20 minutes. Invert layers onto wire racks and cool to room temp.
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GLAZE: Heat water and sugar in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves; swirling pan occasionally. Increase heat and bring mixture to boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately brush glaze over top of each cake layer.
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FROSTING: Heat sugar and water in heavy 1 quart saucepan over low heat swirling pan occasionally until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until mixture registers 230 degrees thread stage on candy thermometer, swirling pan occasionally, about 15 minutes. Blend yolks in large bowl of electric mixer at high speed, 5 seconds. Decrease speed to low and add hot syrup in thin stream; then beat at high speed until cool, about 10 minutes (do not scrape down sides of bowl). Gradually add margarine, beating at medium speed until smooth, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and blend in powdered sugar and vanilla, add chopped pecans and beat at high speed until mixture is very thick. Thin frosting with cream if necessary. Stack layers on serving platter, spreading 1 cup frosting between each layer. (Refrigerate frosting as necessary to firm.) Smooth remaining frosting on sides and top of cake. To serve, decorate with whipped cream and pecan halves.