Laura McBryde Photography
a
few years ago, my dear friend and
sweet neighbor, Marianne Segars,
made the cake and gave it to me as
a gift. Her recipe was a two layer
cake, and it was the best cake that my
family and I had ever tasted. Later, I found the
recipe as a three layer cake, and of course, I shared it
with Marianne.
Both Marianne and I make this delicious cake
around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it is a
signature dish for us. My husband’s birthday is also
around Thanksgiving, so it goes without saying that
this is his cake of choice. People rave over it, and men
especially seem to love it. In the past few years, the cake
won first place in the Pecan Festival in Florence, 3rd
place in the Johnsonville Heritage Festival and 3rd
place in the McBee Pumpkin Festival.
CAKE INGREDIENTS:
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
INGREDIENTS:
7 ½ tablespoons butter
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
4 ½ tablespoons whipping cream
10 tablespoons butter
1 ¼ cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
2 ½ to 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
PRALINE TOPPING
INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup of heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAKE:
Grease three (9-inch) round cake pans and set aside. Preheat oven to 350
degrees F. Add butter, brown sugar, and whipping cream to a saucepan.
Set over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour into cake pans and
sprinkle the pecans evenly into all three pans. Take care to concentrate the
pecans towards the center of the pans. Cool.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and oil at medium speed
with an electric mixer. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and beat well. Sift dry
ingredients together and add to the pumpkin mixture, beating until well
blended. Spoon evenly into prepared cake pans.
Bake until wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about
25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake layers in pans set over a wire rack for 10 minutes.
(Do not leave in the pans any longer than 10 or 15 minutes or the cake will
stick to the pans). Carefully remove cake layers from pans and cool on wire
rack completely, with the pecans facing up.
Place one cake layer on a serving plate with the pecans facing up. Spread
evenly with a third of the cream cheese frosting. Top with the next cake layer,
pecans up, and spread evenly with another third of the frosting. Top with the
final layer and spread the last of the frosting on top. Store in a refrigerator
until ready to serve. Note: This cake keeps well in the freezer.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FROSTING:
In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and
vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioner’s sugar until you reach a
spreadable consistency.
Kathy Ham resides in Florence, South Carolina, with her husband Jon. They have one son, Chase
(married to Anna), and have recently become grandparents. Kathy is the consultant
and owner of Organizational Performance Services, LLC.
SHEMAGAZINE.COM
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRALINE TOPPING:
Melt all ingredients in a saucepan. Let cool slightly. Pour over top of cake
after frosted.
NOVEMBER 2015
125