This page is in honor of all National Cake Holidays!
What is a Lane Cake?
"A Lane Cake is a baked cake traditional in the American South. A traditional Lane Cake is a layered white cake. The outside usually has a white frosting, and each layer has different ingredients. For example, one layer may have pecans and coconut, the next layer almonds. Due to the complicated preparations and multiple ingredients, Lane Cakes are considered difficult to make."
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Recipe example:
General ingredients follow-
2 sticks Butter, at room temperature
2 c Sugar
3 1/2 c Flour, all-purpose
3 1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Milk
8 Egg whites
FILLING
8 Egg yolks
1-1/4 c Sugar
1 stick Butter, at room temperature
2 tb Brandy (some recipes use up to 1/4 cup bourbon or Tennessee whiskey)
2 tb Water
1/2 c Candied cherries, finely chop (
1 c Raisins, seeded, coarsely chop
1 c Pecans, chopped
1/2 c Coconut, shredded
1 tsp. vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour four 8 inch round cake pans.
2. Cream both sticks of the butter or margarine, the 2 cups of white sugar, and vanilla together until light and fluffy.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts alternately with the milk in two parts, beginning and ending with flour.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir in 1/4 of the egg whites with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Gently fold the rest of the egg whites into the batter. It's kind of tricky at first but after you get the folding started it goes along easily. Spread the batter evenly into the four prepared pans.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool. Once cool spread Lane Cake Filling between layers and frost with Seven Minute or Butter Frosting.
6. To Make Lane Cake Filling: Put the 1 stick of butter or margarine and 1-1/4 cups of the white sugar into the top of a double boiler away from the heat. Beat together. Add egg yolks and beat well. Stir in water and brandy flavoring. Place over boiling water. Cook and stir until thickened. Add pecans, raisins, cherries and coconut. Stir filling until all ingredients are well combined. Remove from heat. Allow filling to cool before spreading between cooled cake layers.
Note: "If you do not have a double broiler you can use a metal mixing bowl inside a metal pan. Make sure that the water in the pan does not touch the bottom of the bowl. That kind of defeats the purpose."
Also: This cake improves in flavor as it ages and mellows; the tradition is to make it up a few days before serving and keep it covered and uncut at room temperature.
Variations:
Custard base, with eggs and cream, and then ground pecans, dates, aprocots, and coconuts are added in. Then the cake is wraped in red wine soaked cheese cloth and stored in the refridgerator for up to a week.
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