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Lane Cake

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— Chef's Note —

"Miss Maudie baked a Lane cake so loaded with shinny it made me tight." - Scout

This recipe is a tribute to Harper Lee, who recently passed away. It's a rich, layered cake, which I hope is fitting for someone of such incredible elegance and depth.

Although her editors warned her that To Kill a Mockingbird wouldn't sell, her work had enormous international impact. In fact, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007. Her wisdom and kindness still echo in every word she wrote.

— Featured In —

♦︎ To Kill a Mockingbird ♦︎

How to Make Lane Cake

— Ingredients —

lane cake filling
lane cake filling
chocolate chips
4 oz. chocolate chips
(plus extra)
3 lane cake layers
3 lane cake layers
butter
1 cup butter
(unsalted, softened)
vanilla
3 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar
4 cups powdered sugar
milk
4 tbsp milk

— Instructions —

  1. Mix chocolate chips into filling.
  2. Repeat twice: place 1 cake layer on serving platter, and spread with filling. Top with final cake layer.
  3. Chill cake. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients to make icing.
  4. Generously spread icing over sides and top of cake. Use a clean knife to smooth. Make more icing as needed.
  5. Decorate with remaining chocolate chips, cover with a cake dome, and chill.
  6. Enjoy as is, or save for later (can be made up to two days ahead).

How to Make Lane Cake Filling

— Ingredients —

bourbon
3/4 cup bourbon
dried cranberries
3/4 cup dried cranberries
(or cherries or raisins)
dried apricots
3/4 cup dried apricots
egg yolks
8 egg yolks
sugar
1 cup sugar
butter
1/2 cup butter
(unsalted)

— Instructions —

  1. Mix bourbon and dried fruit. Cover until bourbon is absorbed (at least 3 hours and up to 24).
  2. In a separate bowl, beat yolks and sugar until the mixture falls in ribbons. (Reserve egg whites for cake layers, below.)
  3. Beat in butter, then transfer to sausepan.
  4. Heat over medium low until mixture is thick, stirring constantly (about 10 minutes).
  5. Remove from heat, transfer back into bowl, and mix in dried fruit when ready.
  6. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until cold (about 4 hours). Meanwhile, make cake (see below).

How to Make Lane Cake Layers

— Ingredients —

flour
3 1/4 cups flour
baking powder
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
salt
1/2 tsp salt
nutmeg
1/4 tsp nutmeg
butter
1 cup butter
unsalted
sugar
2 cups sugar
vanilla
1 tsp vanilla
milk
1 cup milk
egg whites
8 egg whites

— Instructions —

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar until smooth. Add vanilla.
  4. Mix flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with portions from the cup of milk.
  5. In another bowl, use clean beaters to mix egg whites until soft peaks form.
  6. While mixing, gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar until whites are stiff but not dry.
  7. While stirring, slowly add whites to bowl with cake mixture.
  8. Line three round (9x1.5) pans with circles of waxed paper, and butter the sides. Pour cake batter into each pan evenly.
  9. Bake cakes until done in center (about 20 minutes).
  10. Carefully turn cakes onto cooling racks and peel off paper. Allow to cool completely.

— Gallery —