Name: Classic Lane Cake
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: SouthernAmerican
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups pecans , toasted and chopped; 1 cup (3 ounces/85 grams) sweetened shredded coconut; 1 (13 ounces/369 grams) jar cherry preserves; 1 tablespoon bourbon; 2 large egg whites; 2/3 cup (4⅔ ounces/132 grams) sugar; 4 teaspoons water; 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 (8-inch) white cake rounds (see note)

Why This Recipe Works

Lane cake gets its name from Emma Rylander Lane of Clayton, Ala., who first published the recipe in 1898, after it won the blue ribbon at a county fair in Columbus, Ga. Her cake became famous when it was featured in Harper Lee’s 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird. For a modern Lane Cake recipe, we made the filling by pulsing together pecans, coconut, cherry preserves, and bourbon in the food processor until coarsely ground. After spreading cherry preserves in a thin layer over the top of the cake, we decorated our Lane Cake with toasted and chopped pecans.

Instructions

For the filling: Pulse 1 cup pecans, coconut, 1 cup preserves, and bourbon in food processor until coarsely ground.

For the frosting: Combine egg whites, sugar, water, and cream of tartar in large heat--resistant bowl set over medium saucepan filled with 1/2 inch of barely simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water). With hand-held mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg white mixture to stiff peaks, about 4 minutes; remove bowl from heat, add vanilla, and beat egg white mixture until very thick and stiff and cooled to room temperature, about 4 minutes.

To assemble: Spread half of filling on bottom cake layer. Repeat with second cake layer and remaining filling. Top with final cake layer. Spread frosting on sides of cake, leaving top plain. Spread remaining preserves in thin layer over top of cake and decorate with remaining chopped nuts.