Recipe: Pecan Pie Cake

Pecan Pie Cake
Source: Southern Living

3 cups finely chopped pecans toasted and divided
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 TBSP vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup dark kayro syrup
1 recipe pecan pie filling
1 recipe pastry garnish

Sprinkle 1 cups pecans even into three generously buttered 9 inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottom and sides of pan.

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 until blended after each addition. STir in vanilla.

ADD flour baking soda to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixutre. Beat at low sped until blended after each addition. Stir in remaining l cup finely chopped pecans.

BEAT egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; fold one third of egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining egg whites. (do not overmix) Pour batter into prepared pans.

BAKE at 350 for 25 minutes or until done. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert layers onto waxed paper lined wire racks. Brush tops and sides of layers with corn syrup and cool completely.

SPREAD half pecan pie filling on 1 layer, pecan side up. Place second layer, pecan side up on filling; spread with remaining filling and top with last layer pecan side up.

ARRANGE pastry garnish around cake if desired.

PECAN FILLNG:
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 c cornstarch
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/8 tsp salt
3 TBSP butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla

WHISK together first 6 ingredients in a heavy 3 qt saucepan until smooth. Bring mixture to boil over medium heat. and whisking constantly boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; and whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Plae a sheet of wax paper directly on surface of mixture to prevent a film from forming and chill 4 hours.

To chill filling quickly; pour into bowl. Put bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice. Whisk constantly until cool. About 15 minutes.

PASTRY GARNISH
1 pkg refrigerated piecrusts
1 large egg
1 TBSP water
24 pecan halves

Unfold pie crusts and press out fold lines. Cut 8 to 10 leaves from a 3 inch leaf cutter and mark leaf veins using the tip of a knife. Reserve pastry trimings. Whisk together egg and water and brush each leaf.

Crumble 10 to 12 small aluminum balls about 1/2 inch round. Coat with non stick spray and plce on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drape a pastry leaf over each ball in ways that make them look natural as if they have just fallen. Flatten the ball so it doesn't move around and will rest firmly in the baking process.

BAKE at 425 for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before removing gently from foil.

Pinch 12 pea sized pieces from trimmings from pastry.
Place between pecan halves forming sandwiches. Cut remaining pastrying into 2 inch pieces and wrap around pecan sandwiches leaving jagged eges to resemble half shelled pecans. Brush with egg mixture. Place on baking sheet.

BAKE at 350 for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.

If you want to see how this is done check out the picture in the magazine. It is so beautiful and looks so darned good. They have leaves sticking out the sides and on the top... with the pecans arranged among the leaves. I wish I could describe it. You have to see it.

NOTES : Ok all, I finally found a copy of the magazine and found the mistake.....where it says in the instructions, to sprinkle 1 cup pecans evenly into 3 pans..etc.., it should say 2 cups pecans....whew