Categories: cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted and divided
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 recipe Pecan Pie Filling:
- 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 Recipe Pastry Garnish (optional):
- 1 (15 oz.) pkg. refrigerated piecrusts
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp. water
- 24 pecan halves
Directions
- Sprinkle 2 cups pecans evenly into 3 generously buttered 9-inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottoms and sides of pans.
- Beat 1/2 cup butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
- Add flour and baking soda to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in remaining 1 cup finely chopped pecans.
- Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining egg whites. ( Do not over mix). Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Spread half of Pecan Pie Filling on 1 layer, pecan side up, on filling; spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining layer, pecan side up.
- Arrange Pastry Garnish on and around cake, if desired.
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Pecan Pie Filling:
- Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Place a sheet of wax paper directly on surface of mixture to prevent a film from forming, and chill 4 hours.
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makes about 3 cups.
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Note: To chill filling quickly, pour filling into a bowl. Place bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice. Whisk constantly until cool (about 15 minutes).
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Pastry Garnish:
- Unfold piecrusts, and press out fold lines. Cut 8 to 10 leaves from each piecrust with 3-inch leaf-shaped cutter, and mark leaf veins using tip of a knife. Reserve pastry trimmings. Whisk together egg and 1 Tbsp. water, and brush on pastry leaves.
- Crumple 10 to 12 small aluminum foil pieces into 1/2-inch balls. Coat with vegetable cooking spray, and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drape a pastry leaf over each ball; place remaining pastry leaves on baking sheet.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Gently remove foil leaves.
- Pinch 12 pea-size pieces from pastry trimmings. Place between pecan halves, forming sandwiches. Cut remaining pastry into 2-inch piece; wrap around pecan sandwiches, leaving jagged edges to resemble half-shelled pecans. Brush with egg mixture. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.
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makes 16 to 20 pastry leaves; 12 pecan pastries.