An old-fashioned southern layer cake with pecans, bourbon, dried fruit, coconut and 7-Minute Frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Southern
Keyword Christmas
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Servings 18
Ingredients
1cupbutter,softened
1cupgranulated sugar
3 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
1tablespoonbaking powder
1/4teaspoonsalt
1cupmilk
1teaspoonvanilla extract
8largeegg whites
Filling
8large egg yolks
1cupgranulated sugar
1/2cupmelted butter
1 1/2teaspoonsvanilla extract
1/3cupbourbon
2cupstoasted chopped pecans
1 1/2cupschopped golden raisins
1cupchopped dried apricots
1 1/2cupsshredded sweetened coconut
7-Minute Frosting
1cupgranulated sugar
1/2teaspooncream of tartar
1/4teaspoonsalt
3tablespoonswater
2largeegg whites
1/2teaspoonvanillla extract
10maraschino cherries for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 3 (9-inch) cake pans with baking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter at medium speed until creamy.Gradually beat in sugar. Beat at high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, until light and fluffy.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.With mixer on LOW speed, add flour mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until combined after each addition.Beat in vanilla extract.
In a clean bowl, using a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Fold the egg whites into the batter in 3 additions. Evenly spoon the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans.
Bake for 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
Make filling. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and melted butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to whisk until thickened, about 15 minutes. Be careful not to let the heat get too high. You don't want the mixture to boil.
Stir in bourbon and vanilla.Stir in pecans, raisins, apricots, and shredded coconut.
Spread filling between the layers of the cake, leaving about 1 cup to spread in a 6-inch circle on the top of the cake.
To make frosting, combine granulated sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water, and egg whites in a large saucepan.
With heat on medium-low, beat with a hand-held electric mixer for 5 to 7 minutes. Stop beating when stiff peaks form.
Remove from heat and mix in the vanilla extract.
Spread frosting on sides of cake and the edges of the top. Fill in the middle with the remaining filling.