Reviews

"My Inspiration" Cake

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.

Prep Time: 25 Min

Total Time: 2 Hr 10 Min

User Rating (83)

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torresm66 said: report Posted: 8/23/2012 9:48:23 PM
my first cake i made from scratch was in 1996 and i was pregnant with my now 15 yr old daughter....I had to make this particular cake-.. it was so awesome .. the cake was so delicious and wonderful and it was just fabulous... I am passing this cake recipe to my daughter as her first cake to make from scratch.....
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Yelle said: report Posted: 8/14/2012 10:43:44 PM
So my husband's grandmother had a copy of the original publishing. There are a few differences in the web recipe and the original. I am newer to baking than cooking so I don't know if it will make that much of a difference but here is what I found. Ingredients: 1 cup finely chopped nuts 2 ounces sweet or semi-sweet chocolate 2 1/2 cups shifted Phillsbury's Best Enriched Flour 4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 2/3 cup Crisco 1 1/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2/3 cup egg whites Frosting: 2 squares (2 oz.) baking chocolate 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup
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kanago said: report Posted: 3/25/2012 7:10:59 AM
My relative (Lois Kanago)won $150,000.00 in 1953 with this cake. When I made it the whole thing was devoured in an hour! It is a little tough to make but well worth it. Mike Kanago
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mimi221 said: report Posted: 11/8/2011 3:37:03 AM
This cake and I were born the same year, 1953, and I remember it fondly from childhood. When I make it now, I increase the frosting because there just doesn't seem to be enough in the original recipe. And I'd forgotten that the egg yolks used to go into the frosting.
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jdillar1 said: report Posted: 8/15/2011 9:12:36 PM
Wonderful cake! I substitute a Pillsbury white cake mix (whole egg recipe) for the scratch recipe. I have made this many times and everyone asks for the recipe. Everyone loves it and asks for me to make it again.
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gerrysmithaz said: report Posted: 9/23/2010 1:02:44 AM
Fabulous!!!
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gerrysmithaz said: report Posted: 9/23/2010 1:01:48 AM
I remember my Father having this birthday cake in 1957. Our family has enjoyed this cake ever since for birthdays. We are a big users of pecans but have always made this cake with walnuts. Much better!
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Opie300 said: report Posted: 8/30/2010 5:58:31 PM
This was a disaster and I've baked for 50 years. First of all, it fell apart when I removed it from the pan. I knew something was not right when the shortening separated from the rest of the batter.....like the batter was too thin. It would have been a lovely, light cake had it held together. Not to be defeated, I put what was left on my hand onto my cake plate, rounded up the crumbs, iced what I could to hold it together, eased the other layer into another cake pan, held it directly over the bottom layer, and dumped it. This did not break apart. I took it to a church luncheon after icing it, and as it was cut, the bottom layer again crumbled because a fork wouldn't hold it together. What a mess! No I will not again make this cake.
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MamaKnows said: report Posted: 3/15/2010 9:00:31 PM
I made this for my husbands birthday. It was so good the day I made it, but honestly found it to be even better when I had a piece the next day! The "cake" part is dry, (like angel food), but with the richness of the chocolate & then, the nuts, It's all perfectly evened out!
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jodiann1972 said: report Posted: 7/17/2009 7:24:52 PM
it is very good it is good for company