Glenna McGinnis Lane Cake

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If using 4 - 9” pans, would make 1 1/2 of cake recipe, and do same for Frosting. Batter of one batch is just a tad too much for 3 -8” pans. (Cake and a half recipe below this entire recipe.) Would also skewer each layer before putting frosting on to let it soak in.

James Beard recipe from American Cooking.

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  • 10

Ingredients

  • and a Half CAKE RECIPE:
  • Cake (One and a half recipe measurements below)
  • (NOTE: do not beat egg whites first, but do in order. If they sit too long, they become watery.)
  • 1 c. butter
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 1/4 c. flour
  • 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 c. milk
  • 8 egg whites
  • 1-1/2 c. butter
  • 3 c. sugar
  • 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 & 3/4 + 1/8 c. flour
  • 5 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1-1/2 tsp salt
  • 1-1/2 c. milk
  • 12 egg whites
  • Proceed as below, but use 4 9" cake pans for sure.
  • FILLING/FROSTING:
  • (You can keep the frosting amounts the same for either cake size- do not have to increase, but frosting is a bit light if you don't)
  • 12 egg yolks
  • 1 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 c. butter
  • 1/2 c. Bourbon
  • 1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped toasted pecans
  • 1 1/2 c. shredded flake coconut
  • 1 1/2 c. chopped raisins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 4 round 9” layer cake pans with butter. Fit the bottoms with wax paper and butter the paper. If you only have 2 pans this size, bake in 2 batches.

Cream the butter until very fluffy. Gradually cream in the sugar – mixture should be very light. Add the vanilla and beat for a few seconds to mix.

Stir the dry ingredients together until well mixed (or sift). Add alternately with the milk to the creamed mixture. If using an electric mixer, just sprinkle the flour on top of the butter and sugar and slowly and gradually add in the milk. Do not over mix, but just mix until the flour is incorporated evenly.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not at all dry (soft peak stage or a little bit more – do not over beat). Fold carefully into the cake batter. Spread evenly in the pans and bake about 25 minutes, until the cake has shrunk back from the sides and the center springs back when pressed lightly with a finger.

Transfer to a rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen from the pan and turn onto rack to cook thoroughly. While cake cools, make the frosting.

FROSTING:
Put the egg yolks in the top of a double boiler and beat slightly with electric beater. Add the sugar, salt and butter. Cook over simmering water – water should not touch bottom of pan – stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved, the butter melted and the mixture thickened slightly. Do not overcook, or the eggs with separate and harden like scrambled eggs.

Remove from the heat, add the bourbon, beat 1 minute with electric mixer and stir in nuts, coconut and raisins. Cool and spread between the layers, and on the top and sides. After an hour, if any of the frosting has dripped down the sides, spread it back on. Decorate the top with pecan halves or whole pieces, preferably toasted.

Store, covered, in a cool dry place. It is better after 3-5 days, and will keep as long as 3-4 weeks. It also freezes well.

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