Spice Cake with Citrus Filling/White Icing

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This cake is bound to become a family favorite. For added beauty, use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the edges of the frosting, if desired.

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  • 12
  • 2 mins

Ingredients

  • Spice Cake with Citrus Filling
  • MAKES: 12 servings HANDS-ON TIME: 25 min. TOTAL TIME: 2 hr., 40 min., including Filling and Icing
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
  • Citrus Filling
  • 2 (10-oz.) jars lemon curd
  • I 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 Tbsp. orange zest
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
  • White Icing
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. corn syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Test Kitchen Secret:
Bake and then freeze Spice Cake layers up to two weeks ahead of time.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Let cool.
2. Meanwhile, beat butterat medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
3. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
4. Divide batter into 2 equal portions (about 3 1/2 cups each); stir cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and pecans into
1 portion. Pour plain batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans (about 1 3/4 cups batter per pan). Pour spiced batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans (about 2 cups batter per pan).
5. Bake at 350°for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans on wire racks 1O minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
6. Place 1 plain cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand; spread top with 2/3cup Filling, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. Top with a spice cake layer, and spread top with Filling as directed above. Repeat procedure with remaining plain cake layer and Filling. Top with remaining spice cake layer. Prepare White Icing; spread icing overtop and sides of cake.
- - -
Citrus Filling
MAKES: about 2 cups HANDS-ON TIME:
5 min. TOTAL TIME: 5 min.

Stir together lemon curd, coconut, and next 2 ingredients in a medium bowl until blended.
- - -
White Icing
MAKES: aboutA cups HANDS-ON TIME: 15 min. TOTAL TiME:15 min.


1. Pour water to depth of 1 1/2-inches into a 3-1/2qt. saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer.
2. Combine egg whites, sugar, next 2 ingredients, and 1/4 cup water in a 2 1/2-qt. glass bowl; beat mixture at high speed with an electric mixeruntil blended. Place bowl over simmering water, and beat at high speed 5 to 7 minutes or until soft peaks form; remove from heat. Beat icing to spreading consistency (about 2 to 3 minutes). Use immediately.*

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