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"My Inspiration" Cake

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  • Prep 25 min
  • Total 2 hr 10 min
  • Ingredients 17
  • Servings 16
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This beautiful cake, layered with pecans and chocolate, looks as if it came straight from the gourmet bakery down the street. Created by Lois Kanago of Webster, South Dakota, it garnered the Grand Prize in 1953.
By Pillsbury Kitchens
Updated Sep 7, 2010
Bake-Off® Contest 05, 1953
Lois Kanago
Denver, Colorado
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Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 1/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup shortening
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 egg whites
  • 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, grated

Frosting

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons water

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Sprinkle pecans evenly in bottom of greased and floured pans.
  • 2
    Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine all remaining cake ingredients except egg whites and chocolate; beat 1 1/2 minutes at medium speed. Add egg whites; beat 1 1/2 minutes. Carefully spoon 1/4 of batter into each pecan-lined pan. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Spoon remaining batter over grated chocolate; spread carefully.
  • 3
    Bake at 350°F. for 30 to 40 minutes or until cake is golden brown and top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.
  • 4
    Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, unsweetened chocolate and 1/4 cup water; cook over low heat until melted, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat; cool.
  • 5
    In small bowl, combine 1/2 cup shortening and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually beat in 2 cups of the powdered sugar until well blended. Reserve 1/3 cup white frosting. To remaining frosting, add cooled chocolate, remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar and enough water for desired spreading consistency.
  • 6
    To assemble cake, place 1 layer, pecan side up, on serving plate. Spread with about 1/2 cup chocolate frosting. Top with second layer, pecan side up. Frost sides and 1/2 inch around top edge of cake with remaining chocolate frosting. If necessary, thin reserved white frosting with enough water for desired piping consistency; pipe around edge of nuts on top of cake.

Tips from the Pillsbury Kitchens

  • tip 1
    For easy removal, use parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the pan. Cut rounds of parchment paper to fit the bottom of your cake pans. Simply loosen the baked cake around the edge with the tip of a sharp knife before turning the cake out onto a rack. Carefully peel back the parchment before assembling the cake.

Nutrition Information

470 Calories, 23g Total Fat, 4g Protein, 61g Total Carbohydrate, 45g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/16 of Recipe
Calories
470
Calories from Fat
210
Total Fat
23g
35%
Saturated Fat
6g
30%
Cholesterol
0mg
0%
Sodium
210mg
9%
Total Carbohydrate
61g
20%
Dietary Fiber
2g
8%
Sugars
45g
Protein
4g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
0%
0%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
10%
10%
Iron
8%
8%
Exchanges:
1 Starch; 3 Fruit; 4 1/2 Fat;
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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