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Servings
Makes one 3-layer cake
Ingredients
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
¼ cup, packed, light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, in all
⅜ pound (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar, in all
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk
3 egg whites
Glaze (recipe follows)
Frosting (recipe follows)
¼ cup, packed, light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, in all
⅜ pound (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar, in all
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk
3 egg whites
Glaze (recipe follows)
Frosting (recipe follows)
How To Prepare
Place the pecans in a large ungreased roasting pan and roast at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then mix in the 4 Tablespoons butter. Add the roasted pecans to the butter mixture and coat them thoroughly. Return mixture to pan and roast for 10 minutes more, stirring once or twice. Stir in 2 Tablespoons of the vanilla and roast 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the 1 ½ sticks butter and 1 ½ cups of the sugar on high speed until very light and fluffy, about 6-8 minutes.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. In a third bowl combine the milk and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to the butter mixture, beating on high speed until well blended and scraping the bowl sides between additions. Stir in pecans.
In a separate bowl whip the egg whites on high speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar and continue beating until mixture is stiff and holds peaks, about 2 minutes. Gently fold egg-white mixture into the batter, a third at a time.
Spoon batter into 3 greased and lightly floured 8 inch round cake pans (1 ½ inches deep). Spread batter so it is slightly lower in the center (since it peaks in the center during cooking). Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cook 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pans and place on a wire rack. Cool thoroughly. Glaze, then spread generously with icing between layers and on top and sides.
Glaze
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Immediately brush glaze over the top of each cake layer with a pastry brush, a little at a time, using all of the glaze.
Roasted Pecan Buttercream Frosting
⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 cups powdered sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup whole milk
3 cups roasted pecans, coarse chopped
Add butter and salt to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer with paddle attachment, begin mixing on low speed. Increase to medium, then high until butter is creamy.
Begin adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. When all 6 cups of powdered sugar have been mixed in, add the vanilla extract.
Slowly add in the milk and mix until fully combined and frosting is fluffy. Then fold in the roasted pecans.
Spread over cooled cake or cupcakes.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the 1 ½ sticks butter and 1 ½ cups of the sugar on high speed until very light and fluffy, about 6-8 minutes.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. In a third bowl combine the milk and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to the butter mixture, beating on high speed until well blended and scraping the bowl sides between additions. Stir in pecans.
In a separate bowl whip the egg whites on high speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar and continue beating until mixture is stiff and holds peaks, about 2 minutes. Gently fold egg-white mixture into the batter, a third at a time.
Spoon batter into 3 greased and lightly floured 8 inch round cake pans (1 ½ inches deep). Spread batter so it is slightly lower in the center (since it peaks in the center during cooking). Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cook 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pans and place on a wire rack. Cool thoroughly. Glaze, then spread generously with icing between layers and on top and sides.
Glaze
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Immediately brush glaze over the top of each cake layer with a pastry brush, a little at a time, using all of the glaze.
Roasted Pecan Buttercream Frosting
⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 cups powdered sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup whole milk
3 cups roasted pecans, coarse chopped
Add butter and salt to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer with paddle attachment, begin mixing on low speed. Increase to medium, then high until butter is creamy.
Begin adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. When all 6 cups of powdered sugar have been mixed in, add the vanilla extract.
Slowly add in the milk and mix until fully combined and frosting is fluffy. Then fold in the roasted pecans.
Spread over cooled cake or cupcakes.
