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Pecan Pie Cake

Source of Recipe

Southern Living 10/98


List of Ingredients

CAKE
3 cups finely chopped pecans toasted and divided
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs separated
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup dark corn syrup

PECAN PIE FILLING
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

pastry garnish
1 15 ounce pac kage refrigerated pie crusts
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
24 pecan halves


Recipe

Sprinkle 2 cups pecans evenly into three generously buttered 9-inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottoms and sides of pans. Beat 1/2 cup butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy ; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Add flour and baking soda to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in remaining 1 cup pecans. Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; fold 1/3 of whites into the batter. Fold in remaining whites. (Do not overmix). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350ºF. for 25 minutes or until done. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert layers onto waxed paper-lined racks. Brush tops and sides of layers with corn syrup, and cool completely.

Spread half of Pecan Pie Filling on one layer, pecan side up. Place a second layer, pecan side up, on filling; spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining layer, pecan side up. Arrange Pastry Garnish on and around cake, if desired.

Pecan Pie Filling: Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Place a sheet of waxed paper directly on the surface of mixture to prevent a film from forming, and refrigerate 4 hours.

Pastry Garnish: Unfold piecrusts, and press out fold lines. Cut 8-10 leaves from each piecrust with a 3-inch leaf shaped cutter, and mark leaf veins with a knife. Reserve pastry trimmings. Whisk the egg and water together, and brush on pastry leaves. Crumple 10-12 small aluminum foil pieces into 1/2-inch balls. Coat with cooking spray, and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drape a pastry leaf over each ball; place remaining leaves on baking sheet. Bake at 425ºF for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Gently remove foil from leaves.

Pinch 12 pea-sized pieces from pastry trimmings. Place between pecan halves, forming sandwiches. Cut remaining pastry into 2-inch pieces; wrap around pecan sandwiches, leaving jagged edges to resemble half-shelled pecans. Brush with egg mixture. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350¼F for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.