LANE CAKE- The Original

Lane Cake

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 1⁄2 cups cake flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole buttermilk
• 8 egg whites, beaten until stiff
• Lane Cake Filling (recipe follows)
• Fluffy Meringue Frosting (recipe follows)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray 3 (9-inch) cake pans with non-stick cooking spray with flour.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in extracts.
3. In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt; sift. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in beaten egg whites. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread warm Lane Cake Filling evenly in between layers. Let cool completely. Spread Fluffy Meringue Frosting over top and sides of cake.

Notes

• For best results, make cake layers and fill with Lane Cake Filling 1 to 2 days before serving, and refrigerate. Cover with Fluffy Meringue Frosting 1 to 2 hours before serving. The meringue will begin to weep if it sits too long. Don’t refrigerate cake once it has been frosted.

Lane Cake Filling

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups chopped pecans
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 8 egg yolks
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1⁄2 cup golden raisins, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup dark raisins, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup bourbon

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine pecans and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted. Stir in sugar until combined. Add egg yolks, stirring well. Cook, over medium heat, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until very thick. Stir in coconut, raisins, and bourbon. Remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Use filling while still warm.

Fluffy Meringue Frosting

Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients

• 6 egg whites
• 2 cups sugar
• 3⁄4 cup water

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil until mixture reaches 248º on a candy thermometer. With mixer running, very slowly pour sugar syrup over beaten egg whites. Continue beating mixture until it reaches room temperature and is a spreadable consistency, about 10 minutes. Use frosting immediately.