Lifestyle, Entertaining, Food, Tables, Dining
Lane Cake
Makes 10 to 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
• 3 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 8 large egg whites
Filling:
• 1/2-1 cup bourbon or brandy
• 3/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 3/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Frosting
• 1 1/2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
• Pecan halves (optional)
• Dried apricot halves
• 4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
PREPARATION
Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Butter and flour four 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line pans with waxed paper.
3. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl.
4. Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additionsalternately with milk in 2 additions.
5. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form.
6. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry.
7. Fold 1/3 of whites into butter mixture. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions.
8. Divide batter among pans (batter will be about 1/2 inch deep).
9. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
10. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off paper. Cool absolutely completely.
Filling:
1. Mix bourbon, cherries and apricots in small bowl. Cover; let stand at room temperature until most of bourbon isabsorbed and fruit softens, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day. Drain off extra liquor.
2. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in medium bowl until mixture falls in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted,about 5 minutes. Beat in butter. Transfer yolk mixture to heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat untilthermometer registers 160°F and mixture is thick, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Mix in nuts, coconut, and fruit mixture. Chill about 2 hours.
4. Mix in chocolate.
(Cake layers and filling can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes; store at room temperature. Cover filling; chill.) Place 1cake layer on platter. Spread with 1/3 of filling. Repeat layering of cake and filling 2 more times. Top with final cakelayer, pressing slightly. Chill cake.
Frosting:
1. Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in bourbon and vanilla.
2. Beat cream and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl until soft peaks form.
3. Add cream cheese mixture to whipped cream; beat until stiff enough to spread.
4. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. If desired, place pecans around edge of cake.
5. Sprinkle with chocolate.
(Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill.)