Pecan Cake

Posted by bettyboop50 at recipegoldmine.com May 8, 2001

Source: A Home Bakery

A torte-like dessert which is made with finely ground pecans and only a small amount of flour.

4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and
    cooled (1 stick, use butter only)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup granulated sugar (divided)
Pinch salt
2/3 cup finely ground pecans
    (use blender to grind)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Honey Glaze
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (325 degrees F for glass or dark metal pans). Lightly butter and flour an 8-inch cake pan.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolks, butter and vanilla extract. Add 1/3 cup of the sugar, beating until thick and creamy.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites with salt until frothy. Continue to beat, adding the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, until stiff peaks form.

Fold 1/3 of the stiff whites into the yolk mixture to lighten. Gently fold the yolk mixture into the remaining whites until fully incorporated.

Combine nuts and flour and sift a third at a time over egg mixture, folding gently after each addition. (Any nut pieces too large to sift may be folded in at the end or re-ground in the blender and sifted in.)

Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Let stand 10 minutes, then turn cake out onto a wire rack, top side up, and cool for 1 hour.

Glaze: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stir in honey and bring to a frothy boil. Reduce heat and boil 3 minutes. Cool slightly. While still warm, pour over cake. Allow glaze to drip down sides of cake.

To cut neatly through the sticky glaze, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to warm it, then dry.