One of our wonderful customers provided this tempting recipe. She likes to decorate it with pecans, but you can be creative and add your own twist!

Here are a few ideas: add fresh, crushed strawberries between the layers; add a layer of custard or cream cheese frosting over the filling; decorate the frosted top with some of our signature Pecan Delicacies (try our CocoaBlanca, Dulce de Leche, or Texas Pecan Toffee).

Cake

Ingredients:

• 7 eggs
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 Cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ½ Cups ground Royalty Pecans
• ¼ Cup packaged dry bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line bottom of 3 (8″) round layer-cake pans with circles of waxed paper.

Separate eggs, putting whites into an electric mixing bowl and yolks into a small bowl. Let whites warm to room temperature (about 1 hour). With mixer at high speed, beat whites with 1/4 teaspoon salt until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar (2 Tablespoons at a time) until stiff.

With the same beaters, beat yolks until thick and light. Gradually beat in the rest of the granulated sugar, beating until thick (about 3 minutes), then beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Combine ground nuts, bread crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Turn dry ingredients into yolk mixture with a rubber scraper, mix well with under-over motion, and fold into whites just to combine.

Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake 25 minutes, or until surface springs back.

Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup heavy cream, chilled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ Cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

Combine ingredients, beat until still, then refrigerate. After cake has baked and cooled, spread filling between the layers.

Frosting

Ingredients:

• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate
• ¼ Cup butter
• 3 Cups sifted confectioners sugar
• ½ Cup hot water
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Remove from heat and add sugar, vanilla, and hot water. Pour frosting over the top of the cake and let it drizzle down the sides.