Pecan Pie Cake

3 Layers of delicious pecan crusted cake with an amazing homemade filling and frosted with fresh whipped cream!

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 cups pecans, chopped
• ¾ cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 cups flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ⅓ cup caramel sauce
• ⅓ cup light cream

Filling:

• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• ¾ cup dark corn syrup
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1½ cups light cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Other:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• additional pecans for decorating (optional)
• Cream for serving

Directions:

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease three 9" pans and sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly between the pans.
3. Place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a 1 cup measuring cup and top to 1 cup with milk. Set aside.
4. With a mixer on medium, cream together ¾ cup butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla.
5. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture alternating with soured milk.
6. With mixer on medium-high, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites and 1 cup of chopped pecans into the butter mixture just until completely combined.
7. Divide batter between the 3 prepared pans.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-23 minutes, or just until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cool in the pan 5 minutes. Remove from pans onto cooling racks lined with parchment paper.
9. Combine caramel sauce & light cream. Brush over each of the warm cakes twice. Cool completely.

Filling: (can be made 1 day ahead of time)

1. Combine ½ cup brown sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, egg, light cream and corn syrup in a large saucepan.
2. Stir continuously over medium heat until mixture boils. Let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool completely.

Assembly:

1. 
2. Place one of the cakes on a plate with the pecans facing up. Top with half of the cooled filling. Repeat layers and finally top with the last cake.
3. Whip cream and powdered sugar on medium high until stiff peaks form. Frost cake with whipped cream and top with additional pecans if desired.
4. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
5. To serve, slice cake and drizzle each slice with about 2 tablespoons fresh cream before serving.

Source:  spendwithpennies.com

Pecan Pie Cake

Bring the best of pecan pie to a Thanksgiving-worthy layer cake. This way, you'll never have to choose between a slice of cake and a piece of pie again.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted and divided
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 recipe Pecan Pie Filling
• 1 recipe Pastry Garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle 2 cups pecans evenly into 3 generously buttered 9-inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottoms and sides of pans.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert layers onto wax paper-lined wire racks. Brush tops and sides of layers with corn syrup, and cool completely.
6. Spread half of Pecan Pie Filling on 1 layer, pecan side up. Place second layer, pecan side up, on filling; spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining layer, pecan side up.
7. Arrange Pastry Garnish on and around cake, if desired.

Southern Living
OCTOBER 1998