Recipe - Emmazell Baileys Pecan Cake

One half cup Vegetable shortening
1 Three fourths cup Sugar
4 Egg yolks
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 cup Flour; allpurpose
4 teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 One half cup Pecan pieces
1 One fourth cup Milk (divided use)
2 cup Pecan halves

FROSTING
4 Egg whites
1 cup Sugar
One fourth cup Water

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray 2 (9inch) cake pans with nonstick cooking
spray. Set aside.

Blend together shortening, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla, and set aside. In
another bowl, mix 1 One half cups flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

Use remaining One half cup flour to mix with pecan pieces. Pour 1/3 of the milk
into the shortening mixture and mix untll incorporated, then add One half of the
flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Continue alternating additions,
end ing with pecans. Divide cake batter into pans and bake for 30 to 35
minutes until cake just begins to brown and the center springs back when
you touch it.

Remove from oven and place upside down on paper towels or cake rack. Remove
cake pans, which should slide off cake easily after lO minutes; let cakes
cool completely. Frost the first layer and cover with One half cup pecan halves.
Stack the second layer on top and frost the top and sides. Decorate the
sides with 2 or 3 rows of pecans (depending on size) standing on end,
pointing towards the top of the cake. Decorate the top with 2 or 3 rows of
pecans pointed towards the middle and ending with 4 pecans in the middle.

Makes l6 servings.

Frosting: Beat 4 egg whites until they peak; set aside. Place 1 cup sugar
and One fourth cup water over medium heat, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove
cover and continue cooking until syrup reaches the soft boil stage (238 F
to 240 F on a candy thermometer). Slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites
as you continuously beat for 3 to 4 minutes. Per serving: Calories 391; Fat
19g; Cholesterol 65 mg; Sodium 289 mg; Percent calories from fat 42% **
Dallas Morning News Food section 29 November 1995 **

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini