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Friday, December 2, 2011

Pecan Pie Cake

Ok people, you've been warned! This cake will make a grown man drop to his knees, birds will sing, and your children will ask you to let them wash the dishes. I'm tellin' you, this cake is good enough to make you sass your grandma (and we all know you won't get away with that without some serious discipline from your mama, right?)  I found this in an older Southern Living, and so glad I did!
Pecan Pie Cake

It's best to make the filling the night before, because you want this to chill really well. So I'll start with that first...
Pecan Pie Filling
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/8 tsp salt
3 TBSP butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the real stuff)

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and boil for 1 minute, or until thickened. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Place a sheet of wax paper directly on surface of mixture to prevent a film from forming, and chill at least 4 hours.

Now for the cake....
Pecan Pie Cake
3 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted and divided
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 TBSP vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup dark corn syrup

Sprinkle 2 cups pecans evenly into 3 generously buttered 9-inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottoms and sides of pans.
Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, and gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in remaining 1 cup pecans.
Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form, and fold one third egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining egg whites. (Do NOT over mix). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. I always set timer to go off 5 minutes before to be safe. Silly oven!
Check for doneness with the old toothpick inserted into center test.
Cool in pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then invert onto the wire racks. Put some wax paper down under the wire racks... Trust me! You'll be glad you did!
Brush the tops and sides of layers with corn syrup, and cool completely. (See, aren't you glad you listened?)
Spread half of pecan pie filling on one layer, pecan side up. Place second layer, pecan side up, on filling, and spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining layer, pecan side up.

Now, every Southern cook knows you don't make a pecan pie when it's raining, right? Guess what it was doing the day I made the filling? Yep, that's right.
So it wasn't picture-perfect but that didn't bother anyone who had seconds on Thanksgiving!
I hope you'll try this. I know it's a two step (or day) process, but it is so worth it.
And hopefully, it won't be raining when you do. Enjoy!

Hint:  Please read the comments.  In them, there are some really good questions and tips and if I haven't answered them, then some wonderful readers have helped.  You might find an answer you have in them. 

Be Sweet!


I'm linking up to:
SixSistersStuff.com                   Or so she says

227 comments:

  1. Ohhh this looks yummy. I tried to comment last night via my iPad and no go it was all crazy. This one is a must try!

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  2. This looks delicious. Being a southern girl, I love a good piece of pecan pie with a big glass of milk. Thanks for the recipe.

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  3. Absolutely wonderful! Thanks so much!!

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  4. Oh, I so want to try this pecan cake! Yummy looking. & going to check out your bundt cakes after this. Thanks for linking up!! I always love visiting you.

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  5. (Do NOT over mix). Pour butter into prepared pans.
    --------------------------------------------------
    I scrolled back up to look at the ingredients again thinking there was more butter...then I realized it was a little typo.

    This looks AWESOME! I will be saving this recipe for sure. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Sweet Jeanette,
      Is it possible to make this in a 9x13 pan?

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  6. Oh goodness me! You are right! Amazing how one little letter can make a difference! Thank you for catching that! I only hope the others who have tried this recipe caught that! I have corrected it....in red... now. Again, thank you for catching that and bringing it up! Much appreciated!!!

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    1. Hey I don't see no correction in red, how much is it suppose to b??

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    2. Sweet Jeanette,

      Is it possible to make this cake in a 9x13 pan?
      Thanks!

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    3. Anonymous, the typo was in the directions, "Pour batter into prepared pans." The word "batter" was in red. Perhaps it previously stated "butter"?

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  7. This looks soooooo amazing. I saw this on Pinterest and had to come get the recipe. I will be trying this soon :)

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  8. I am going to make this for my husbands birthday cake in March...it looks amazing. He loves pecan pie, I love cake, perfect. Thank you for the recipe

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    1. You're so funny. My hubby is a big (and I mean huge) chocolate fan so I was surprised when he went gaga over this cake. Hope your hubby loves it! By the way, my birthday is in March too! DO come back and let me know how he...and you... liked it!

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    2. Pouring it into prepared pans.-Does that mean greased and floured cake pans?

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    3. If you Hubby likes chocolate, can you make the cake part chocolate?

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  9. Saw this on pinterest and my mouth literally started watering! I'll be making this tonight. . . And tomorrow! Thanks for sharing!!

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  10. My husbands favorite is pecan pie. I will have to make this. I will take some to my elderly neighbors to, since we don't need to eat the whole thing. I am in love lol

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  11. Making this now for my mom. Only had 2 rounds, so we'll see... whoops! It'll still be delish - it was the most delicious cake batter I've ever tasted!

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    1. LOL Zoe, you're a woman after my own heart!!! (I love cake batter too) and I can't wait to hear how you liked the "baked" version :-)

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    2. I'm going to make this today for my daughter's 30th Birthday...and its raining! Oh well. wish me luck! :)

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  12. Oh, Sweet Jeanette - It... was... WONDERFUL!! It was the hit of my mother's birthday party. I ended up making it into 3 layers after all, by slicing one of the cakes into 2. I'll be buying a third cake pan simply so I can make this the right way again (and again, and again...). Oh, and you might get a kick out of this- it's going in the hand-written-recipe-card-box with a new name: Peacock Cake, as my 5 year old daughter Augusta misheard 'pecan'. Only the most worthy recipes get hand-written for the box, and rarely do they get new fancy names! Thanks for sharing this one. It's an instant classic at my house!

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    1. What a great story!!! Peacock Cake it is! LOL I'm so glad you liked it and honored it made it to the special hand-written recipe box! An heirloom recipe then. ;-)

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    2. I tried this recipe last October. It was great but when it says let them cool they mean let them coo. If you don't they slide. really i mean slide off the plate and onto the floor.

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    3. Zoe and sweetjeanette.. I had to do the same thing with one of my layers.. just had to make it with more batter and adjust my timing a bit..but worked out great. I am making this for my Hubby.. He loves pecan pie and i for some reason can't master that.. but i can bake the heck out of a cake..lol So when i came across this recipe i was in love before i even tasted it. My layers are actually cooling right now.. i made the filling lastnight as suggested and i am glad that i did. Was a great time saver so i could make dinner too.

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  13. Can't wait to try it.

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  14. I founds this on pinterest and have to try it. So happy to be your newest follower. when you have a chance check out my blog www.questfordelish.blogspot.com

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    1. Hey there Andrea! So glad you are following SweetJeanette.com ! Welcome. When you make it,do come back and let me know how ya liked it. It's now our family's all-time favorite! :-)

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  15. Hi Jeanette,

    I found your blog by clicking on your maazing looking recipe on Pinterest. I am a Frenh blogger with almost the same name as yours!
    I'm going to try this delicious cake ASAP! Thanks!

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    1. Well hello! and welcome to SweetJeanette.com!!! So nice to meet you. Thanks for hopping over from Pinterest. I can't say this enough...this cake is wonderful!!! Please come back and let me know how you liked it! :-)

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  16. So I'm making this for my mother's birthday, and I'm curious, do I need to pour out the pecan pie filling onto a sheet of wax paper and then cover it with another one? Or am I just putting a sheet of wax paper over it in the pot? Might sound like a silly question, but I want to be sure I make it right!

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  17. Hey there Anonymous! Not a silly question at all! I know this one- Just put that wax paper over the pie filling. You do this so the filling won't form a thick, kind of gunky top. You don't want to waste one bit of it by having to trim off that gunk. I do, however wait about 5 minutes, and pour into a heat safe bowl THEN put the wax paper on top. But that's because I don't want to put my pot in the frige and waste space in there. LOL
    I can't wait to hear how your mom liked it!!!

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  18. Loving this recipe so much. I made it at my grandma’s house. The combination of recipes goes well with each other and the taste is certainly admirable. www.gourmandia.ca and www.coffeefashion .com also have interesting recipes that you’ll surely want to try!

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  19. OK that's it I am making this cake!!

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    1. LOL Whitney! You're too cute. DO make it, and come back and tell me all about it. I hope you'll love it as much as we do!!

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  20. After finding your recipe on pinterest I made this tonight for a fellowship bbq and WOW it was a H-I-T. I only had 2 9in pans so I cut one of the cakes in half and I totally forgot to add the 1 cup of chopped pecans to the cake mix so I sprinkled extra on top of the filling. I think I should of waited the extra 30 min (to make it a full 4 hrs in the fridge) to put the filling on top because it oozed out the side =). And the first time I went to make the filling I had so many cornstarch clumps which was my fault so I started all over but the second time I whisked the cornstarch in with the half and half then poured it into the pan. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe it is now my favorite cake.

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  21. Oooh, having to start all over again would have been a throw-it-in-the-trash recipe for some. So glad you did make it though! I'm so glad you liked it, and the gang at the fellowship did too!
    It's our fave, for sure!

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  22. Hi! I don't know what I did wrong when it came to the filling part but it did not come out as pretty and creamy smooth looking as yours. However, the cake itself still was a hit at bible study yesterday night. Thank you thank you thank you! Any idea on where I went wrong with the filling?

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    1. Hmmm. Let's see... Were you able to let the pie mix part stay in the frige for at least 4 hours? (Honestly, I do mine the day before and let it sit all night and don't take it out until I'm ready to "build" the cake. Were the cake layers completely cool? How was the weather that day? I believe the old advice handed down to me by my mother: you don't make pecan pie cake on a rainy or overcast day.
      Those are just a few of the things I could think of. If none of those apply, I'm sorry but I'm stumped. I hope you'll be able to try it again and let me know if that turned out. I really want it to work for you! :-)

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  23. My ONLY suggestion is to use Baker's Joy and spray in the pans as opposed to butter. My cakes stuck even though I "generously" buttered the pans. Other than that, HOLY COW, what a cake! :)

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    1. if you coat the butter with flour before you put in the batter, then the cakes should turn out as nicely as with Baker's Joy (though, the butter + flour route is more messy than using the spray)

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    2. Butter and flour is the way to go! If something happens and you forget about the cake in the pan while it's cooling, and you used spray, there is nothing you can do. If you butter and flour, you can put the cake back into the oven to re-melt the butter and the cake should slide right out! Trust me, I speak from experience!

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    3. As a professional baker, I can tell you I ONLY use a BAKING spray (with flour, such as baker's joy) You can leave it in the pan overnight and it will still come out. Butter and flour sometimes leave residue on the cakes and can be quite messy. Spray, all the way! LOL

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  24. I accidentally used light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar in the filling, and when I tasted it it didn't have a ton of flavor. I'm guessing that's why? Is it going to mess up the flavor of the cake too badly?

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  25. I made this cake for my Hubby's B-day. I had two cake pans and just went for it! I made the filling last night and the cake today. It took about 35 min to cook through. After they cooled I sliced both in half and stacked them. I didn't have time to brush the Karo so I drizzled it.. I used MORE then 3/4 cup... not sure how much. It Was a HIT!!!!.... my friend is coming over for coffe and cake tomorrow morning! Thanks for the delicious recipe!..

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    1. Oh I'm so glad it was a hit for you! Don't worry about the amount of Karo syrup, it'll just make it more moist, soaking it all in and all. LOL I'm tempted to use *more* next time I make it myself! :-)

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  26. hello
    it's a lovelly recipe, I wont to ask you something, are you in England? I'm from Bristol, and I would like to ask where do you find corn syrup?
    thank you.

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    1. i would try Lyles Golden Syrup. That may be the closest you come to Karo Syrup.

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  27. Sounds delicious...I'll definitely make it seeing as how my oldest son is a pecan pie "connoisseur". My pecan pies (I'll share the super easy recipe) are barely cooled before he's cut into one and digging in! I showed him the picture and he said let's go for it! LOL I am concerned at the SUGAR content seeing as I am diabetic so I'll only be able to have a small slice :(

    PECAN PIE
    **preheat oven to 325*

    4 eggs well beaten
    1 box LIGHT brown sugar
    2 cups pecans (chopped)
    1 stick margarine MELTED
    2 tsp. Vanilla flavoring (the REAL stuff)
    ¼ cup milk
    2 unbaked pie shells (I use deep dish)

    Mix 1st 6 ingredients well then pour into pie shells. Bake at 325* until set or when shaken filling does not move.

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    1. Rewa, how sweet of you to share a pecan pie recipe!!! Thank you. I agree with you about the sugar content...it's quite a sweet cake, but definitely worth a "little" splurge if ya can. :-)

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    2. Is the BOX of brown sugar a pound box?

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    3. Does "one box" equal 1lb.?

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  28. @amour de cuisine
    Do you have KARO light corn syrup in the UK? I don't think your golden syrup would do as it has a bolder flavor. Wonder if making a simple syrup with water and sugar would be the same?

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    1. try using agave nectar, I refuse to use corn syrup and agave has worked for me every time, although I must admit I haven't tried this recipe YET, but I will.

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  29. This looks wonderful and after reading at the reviews, this will be my chosen dessert for a luncheon next week.
    Wanted to know if there is a link to print just the recipe and not everything else on the page?

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  30. This looks wonderful and after reading at the reviews, this will be my chosen dessert for a luncheon next week.
    Wanted to know if there is a link to print just the recipe and not everything else on the page?

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  31. Just wanted to let you know we LOVED this recipe. My sister and I blogged about it if you want to have a peek! Thanks for sharing this recipe, it was phenominal :)
    http://joandsue.blogspot.ca/2012/04/pecan-pie-cake.html

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  32. I have been looking for a pecan pie cake mix since last Thanksgiving! This looks amazing! I am going to try to modify it into a cake pop recipe as I have a delicious pumpkin pie cake pop recipe from last Thanksgiving. I am going to see how the icing works in place of the frosting I normally add to the cake to make cake pops. I will also try it with the icing added to some frosting. I'm looking forward to some delicious pecan pie cake pops this Thanksgiving!

    Jerri M (ZZTreats on Facebook)

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    1. Oh Jerri!!! Please come back and let us all know how your cake pop turned out.... and leave a link so we can all come visit and see! :)

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  33. Hello i just made this and my icing mixer taste like the stuff on german chocccklate cake but i also taste some cornstrach Did i do something wrong

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    1. Hi Anonymous.
      I'm at a loss here. hmmmm... German chocolate cake you say? That's really puzzling. I'm assuming by "icing", you meant the filling, right? And you actually taste the cornstarch? Ok, I've got to admit, I'm really stumped. I didn't experience any of that in all the times I've made the cake. I really wish I could help you out. Perhaps another reader??? Anybody care to jump in?

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    2. If you can taste the cornstarch, then maybe you didn't cook it long enough.

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  34. I'm in the middle of making this for my husband's birthday...laptop propped on the kitchen counter! It's taken a little while as I made the filling first thing this morning and put it in the refrigerator and started the cake this evening. I am to the point of the cakes baking in the oven so ALMOST there! This looks and smells delicious...I can't wait to try it! :)

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  35. Christina - happy birthday to your husband. Do come back and let me know how he liked it. My husband says this is his favorite, next to anything chocolate of course! LOL

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  36. Jeanette--we both thought it was really delicious! It was a really rich cake so I think our next serving will be a smaller piece...my tummy hurts! Lol! I would make this again for a special occasion! :)

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  37. Hi everyone. Well, I've made this cake and followed it to the letter. I hope that this is what is supposed to have happened. The filling or icing that goes in between the layers was refrigerated overnight. When icing the layers, I literally had to slice it lice jello and arrange it on the layers because it sure wasn't going to spread. I am hoping that once it reaches room temp, it will loosen up and be more creamy. Has this happened to anyone else? And no, it was a perfect sunny day. LOL

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    1. Oh wow! Like jello?? Oh goodness. I've never had my filling do that. The reason I leave mine in the frige overnight instead of 4 hours is I run the risk of it not being solid enough (Florida weather is muggy) anybody got any ideas here to hel our friend out? Oh, by the way, the rainy weather only make sit not solidify, I.e, be runny. :-)

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    2. hmm...sounds like a bad cornstarch measurement (a bit too much)...or overcooking the mixture a bit too long. I dunno...just some thoughts.

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  38. My filling turned out really runny. I hope it still tastes good. What did I do wrong?

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  39. how do you print the receipe out. I don't use a laptop and really does not to write it all out. Help..

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    1. oh dear.... I just copy and paste into a word doc. Would that work for you?

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  40. Hmmm, Okay I'll bite...Why shouldn't you make this when it rains or is overcast? what happens?(I'm not from the south, but I live here now)

    I have 13 pecan trees in my yard, so I need a few recipes,this looks like a good one,only problem is my husband doesn't like pecans :( I can't let all those pecans go to waste! Maybe I'll sell some lol my sister said they are 9.99 a pound ;) The pecan pie recipe above ^^ looks good too!

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    1. LOL. If you try to do pecan pie on a rainy day, the humidity just has a hay-day with it. It just won't set for you and you might end up with a "runny" pie instead. :-)
      I used to think that was an old (southern) wives' tale, but honestly, it happens.

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    2. Okay, good to know! I believe it, usually the old wives tales are true,or at least have some truth in them! That is weird though,isn't it,how it would do that?

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    3. Thank you for the follow! So glad to have a new friend!

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  41. This cake was a pleasure to make even in my hot kitchen. I can't wait to taste it tomorrow!! The batter and filling were amazing so my hopes are HIGH. The recipe was easy to follow and I'm sure it will be worth the time.

    Jeanette, what's the story behind this recipe? Did you conceive the idea to turn pecan pie into a cake? Was the cake batter recipe original for this recipe or borrowed from another! I love baking and am fascinated with this side of things. My friend couldn't decide on pecan pie or cake for her birthday so I thought I'd try to put the two together. You just did all the work for me!

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    1. I wish I could take credit for originating this wonderful cake, but I got the recipe from a Southern Living publication. It became an immediate family favorite around here!

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  42. Just finished putting this cake together !!! Waiting on my baby to nap and then gonna eat some !!! Looks and smells so good !!!

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    1. ooooh can't wait to hear how you liked it! :-)

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  43. Just finished putting this cake together !!! Waiting on my baby to nap and then gonna eat some !!! Looks and smells so good !!!

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  44. Please tell me the correct amounts of butter. My recipe shows nothing corrected in red.

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    1. (smile) the correct amounts of butter are as typed. It was the typo I corrected, which originally said 'pour the "butter" in the pan, should have been batter. Whoopsie! but it is correct now. Sorry for the confusion :-)

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  45. what is half and half? Living in Cape Town, SA not sure what that is?

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    1. Oh sorry about that. Half and Half is a commercially dairy product of half cream and half milk. You could mix your own that way. Hope that helps.

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  46. Hi Sweet Jeanette! Just wondering about how many people will this cake feed I want to take it to a group party tomorrow and just wanted to make sure I would have enough!

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    1. Hmmmm... Whitterbean, good question! Since everybody's opinion of what a "good slice" is (my family's idea is probably one larger than the average slice - LOL) I'll just tell you I used 9 inch round cake pans. Does that help? Sorry I couldn't be more exact for you, but the last family gathering it fed 11 people, and they were allowed to "cut their own", so these were varying sizes. :-)

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  47. hi jeanette! im 11 years old and i loveeeeeeeeee to bake........but i dont know what to bake thats kid friendly
    think that you could help???????? :)

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    1. Well, precious, you're quite ambitious if you're thinking about taking this one on. But, with mom's help, I'm sure you can do it! :) Have you seen the fun strawberry cookies I posted? They're super easy and nobody will guess they were THAT easy! Check that post out and try them. Let me know how ya liked it! :) and Keep baking!

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  48. Im super EXCITED to make this im doing the filling now!!! My Karo is thick and a new bottle I always always run out at Christmas and Thanksgiving :) would you recommend heating it a lit or diluting it with water a smudge to brush it?

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  49. finished the cake :) its tasty but im not sure i did it right b/c my cakes were very easily falling apart had to use 3 spatualas to move them from the cooling racks :( with my hubbys help lol :P got it put together though :P any tips?

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    1. Hi Wilene. Oooooh! I'm so sorry that your cakes were falling apart! I'm not really sure about that. Mine held together fine. I remember thinking, well these suckers are going to split when I lift them, but they never have yet. I wish I could come up with an answer for you. Not that this helps now, (and not that I've used it) but I wonder if one of those pizza paddles would help? I'm thinking probably the Karo syrup was weighing it down? It was moist, right? So it's not a case of dry cake? It just sounds like the layers were heavy. (my best guess) So sorry I couldn't be more help. But... how'd it taste? :)

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    2. it was very moist im thinking your right it was the syrup :) and i spoon my flour into the measuring cups b/c it doesnt pack it down that might make a difference too maybe i need to just scoop it out of the canister maybe thats what everone else is doing :) its a very good cake was hard not to ice it with something lol :P but that just b/c im used to ising cakes LOL :P TY again for the recipe was super tasty!!

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  50. Made my filling for my cake today,making the cake part tomorrow can't waitand I know my hubby will like it!

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  51. My cake was delish

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  52. I will be making this cake for our family reunion this weekend! Will it hold at least a day after I assemble it? We are leaving the day before the reunion and I won't have the facility to assemble it there.

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  53. Hi Kara
    The last time I made this was for Thanksgiving and I made it the day before, (the filling two days before). Will there be much "travel time" ? My only concern would be if you have very far to travel in the heat.... :( I probably would, for good measure, and because I'm such an "over-compensator" (LOL) secure the layers with toothpicks or something if you expect much jostling around. :)

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  54. Thanks! It's about and 1 1/2 drive so not too far. I'll secure it with toothpicks. :)

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  55. is there any way to make this without the corn syrup? or to have something in place of it? trying to make healthier choices.... although i know this cake is not one of them. it looks to good not to try!

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    1. Dear Anonymous
      I googled a recipe to make your own corn syrup of sorts, but I'm afraid that's not all that healthy/low cal either. Sorry. Think of this cake as a special, not-very-often treat. But I know the feeling! (if that helps any)

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  56. I was scared to make this cake! I had to buy several ingredients I don't normally keep on hand so I knew it would be expensive (plus pecans aren't cheap!), but I decided to splurge while my sis was in town and I'm SO GLAD I did!!! I took it to a big family dinner and it was devoured! (In fact, I think my cousin went for seconds and thirds!) My only advice to people making the cake is don't plan on traveling with it! Luckily I was only going a couple miles down the road, but it shifted even while I was holding on to the top layer :) Loved Loved Loved the recipe - definitely worth the time and money put in to it! Trying to decide if I should make it a single layer cake in a bigger pan (like 11x15) and take it to a Thanksgiving family dinner this year...decisions, decision. Thanks so much for sharing!!!

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  57. Hi Devines!
    I'm so glad you're glad!!! You gave me a good smile. Now you have the ingredients so the next one won't be such a wallet buster. I like your idea of making it a single layer cake too. DO let me know how it turns out if/when you do!

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  58. Hi
    In the pecan pie filling you have an ingredient half-and-half. I am not too sure what that is? Dying to try this cake for our friends this weekend when we goto our game farm. (ps: I live in South Africa)

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    1. Hello fellow Anonymous-one,
      Half and half is a premixed item which you can duplicate yourself. Just mix half milk with half cream. That's it!

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  59. Hi Jeanette! This cake looks amazing and I can't wait to make it, but I am planning to do cupcakes. I was wondering if the brushing of the corn syrup was necessary for flavor? I won't be able to brush the cupcakes and want them to turn out every bit as good as your cake looks :) Also, if I put the pecans on top of the batter in the cupcake liners, do you think they might burn?

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  60. Hey there Jeanette! This cake sounds wonderful... I'm sure I'll be making it sometime soon. I can't wait to try it.

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  61. I am typically not a sweets girl but I have to say, this looks insanely delicious! I will definitely be making this for the Holidays. Thank you for sharing!

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  62. Hi! I JUST finished this cake but I'm wondering if I did the filling right. It didn't come out creamy but a bit jello-y like the above poster said. Although, mine I could spread out easily. I'm going to taste it then try it again one day because I'm sure I can get it right! It smells Wonderful, though! Exactly what consistency should it have? I think maybe I whisked it too much or something because I know it got foamy/frothy while on the stove.

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    1. The consistency should look much like a pecan pie. A pecan pie isn't "creamy" per se. I hope I'm following you, because maybe my perception of "creamy" and "Jello-y" might be different from yours, and my pictures may not have been the best LOL. How did it taste? That's the key, I'd say. I hope I'm not confusing you, and I DO hope the cake was worth all your effort. PLEASE let me know how it tasted after all done. (It's our fave!)

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  63. Totally fantastic!!! I have received requests to make this cake again and just now finished making it for my knitting menotr's birthday. Thank you for a great recipe. This will be my "go to" birthday cake recipe,

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  64. Awesome Pat!!!! I'm so glad you tried it. I can tell everybody how great it is, but you can't really understand for yourself until ya actually bite into it, right? It IS delish!

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  65. I just now became a member on pinterest,love this recipe and will definately try it.Thanks for sharing.

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  66. Hi Jeanette,
    I've read your recipe, and maybe I'll give it a try, it sounds really good! but first:please help me out: as I'm dutch, I'm not familiar with all bakingterms....please tell me what is meant by half-and-half...... It doesn't make any sense at all to me.
    Jolanda

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    1. Half and Half is basically half milk, and half heavy cream.
      We just can buy it already mixed for us, but you could use a 1 to 1 ratio to make your own. :-)

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  67. Does this have to be kept in refrigerator?

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    1. I'm not laughing at you, but laughing all the same. When I've made this cake, there has never been an occasion to store it. It gets scarfed up right away! LOL But, I'm such a food/germ/safety freak that I'd say yes. Though, I'm not sure if the filling might crystalize. I just haven't had any experience with "left overs" with this cake. Good luck.

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    2. I had the same concern. I'm making this on Christmas Eve to take to Dad's Christmas day and wasn't sure if I should keep it in the fridge overnight or not. I guess I'll have to play it by ear?

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    3. :-). the last one I made I tested by placing in the frige- no problems , happy to report. So have fun ;-)

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  68. Hi there Sweet Jeanette! Made this cake today for my Sunday School pot luck. It was awesome. While the presentation had some to be desired, the taste was amazing. A classmate said 'this is the best cake I've ever had. I'm a recovering alcoholic and this can definitely fit in the realm of addictions for me!'. While that comment is a little off, he said it with the biggest grin and love in his heart. It made my night.

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  69. Ruben, I'm so glad you tried and liked the recipe! Careful, you may never be allowed to bring anything else to a pot luck! LOL
    Aren't compliments like your classmate's the best? Thank you for leaving your sweet comment!

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  70. Sounds delicious! But..... I wonder if there is a shortcut for those of us that do not do a lot of baking. :-) would love to buy a box mix, add a few things to it and have a similar outcome. ( i only have 2 round pans) any one out there as lazy a baker as me?

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  71. Sounds delicious! But..... I wonder if there is a shortcut for those of us that do not do a lot of baking. :-) would love to buy a box mix, add a few things to it and have a similar outcome. ( i only have 2 round pans) any one out there as lazy a baker as me?

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    1. Ooooh, I'd hate for you not to get the full pleasure of the taste of a "from scratch" cake like this. C'mon, you can pick a lazy day and do this, right? (wink, wink) Actually, I'm not sure if a box mix would hold up well under the (wonderful) filling. But hey, great things have been accomplished by playing with a recipe, or instructions. If you do, DO come back and let us all know how you tweaked this recipe to make it your own, ok?

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  72. Wow, this sounds like a Thanksgiving dessert show stopper! Amazing! Thanks so much for this recipe. I pinned it and tweeted it.

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    1. Lauri, it IS!!!! In fact, this is what I'm making for two Thanksgiving dinners we were invited to this year! (It's now a standing order!)

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    2. Oh! and thank you for tweeting and pinning! mwah!

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  73. I have 8" cake rounds, not 9". Can I use them instead, and how long would I bake for?
    Thanks!

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  74. I will want to make it in a 9x13 pan....so will try to figure that out hopefully next week...just wondering if any one else has done it already?

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    1. I got an email from someone who wanted to try it in a 9 x 13 pan also. I do hope they come back and post how it turned out. I don't see why it can't be done with a litle tweaking. You won't get the full beauty of layers of that lovely filling, but if you can live with that... I say go for it. Just come back and let us all know how it turned out, ok? ;-)

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    2. Reading all these comments was fun. Why couldn't two 9x13 pans be used. You might have to double the recipe, but turning the cake out onto a foil covered cutting board, and then using short wooden skewers (easily removed at presentaion) for stability would make it easier to travel with for any kind of occasion. Sounds delicious!

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  75. Pinned it! Looks delightful. Thank you for sharing. Partying from Six Sisters Stuff.

    We may have met by chance...but we become friends by choice.
    http://simpleesue.com/try-one-new-recipe-a-week-best-pa-dutch-apple-dumplings

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  76. Pinned it! Looks delightful. Thank you for sharing. Partying from Six Sisters Stuff.

    We may have met by chance...but we become friends by choice.
    http://simpleesue.com/try-one-new-recipe-a-week-best-pa-dutch-apple-dumplings

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  77. This looks amazing! I love pecan pie :)

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  78. I would love for you to share this (or any of your other great ideas) at the link party going on through tomorrow night at ‘Or so she says …’ Hope to see you there! www.oneshetwoshe.com

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  79. I apologize if this was covered already - I didn't see it if it was. Does it have to be dark corn syrup? I have light and was hoping I wouldn't have buy something different. Getting ready to make this for Thanksgiving!

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    1. Hey there transoumom! You can, in fact, use light syrup! Glad you asked. I used it in the last cake I made because I was not going to run back out to the grocery store just for dark syrup. LOL It doesn't affect the outcome - and not even the taste noticeably. So go ahead and make it with the light - and enjoy!!!

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  80. Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form, and fold one third egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining egg whites.

    Can you please explain how to> fold the egg whites, I'm not understanding the term here.i can't wait to try this! Thanks

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  81. Sure! When a recipe says to "fold in" anything, that just means to gently "fold"...kind of like stirring, but you don't want to be that aggressive. Definitely not beat, or you'll break down those pretty egg whites. Remember, they're delicate. I wish I could show you the action, but you just kind of flip over and under instead of stirring round and round. Does that make any sense? I can picture it great in my head, but when it comes down to seeing it in print, not so much! LOL

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    1. Thanks! it makes sense I'm sure I'll get it, thank you so much :-)

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    2. Re: "folding egg whites". I was a little rusty and making a delicate cake, so I googled that phrase and found great descriptions that helped a lot. Happy baking, and thanks for the recipe, sweetjeanette! I'll be taking it to my brother's house for Thanksgiving as a surprise switch from pumpkin and pecan pies. I'm betting they won't mind the diversion from tradition too much. :)

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  82. I made this, but the filling turned out really really "liquidy." Is it supposed to have the consistency of syrup? I'm not really sure what went wrong...

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    1. oh no! I'm sorry yours didn't turn out. And, to answer, no it's not supposed to be liquidy. Hmmm... I wonder, was it humid? Raining? Did you do it the day before and let it sit in the frige? Those are just ideas that popped up. Since this is a "two-day" cake, I really hate it that it didn't turn out for you seeing all the effort that goes into it.

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  83. Just finishing it now for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow! I cant wait for everyone to try it....hope it tastes as good as it looks and smells!! Thanks :)

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  84. Just spent all night making this and my husband DID NOT drop to his knees! I'm not even sure I'm going to take it tomorrow!

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    1. oh no! He didn't??? Quick! put a Snickers in his mouth...or whatever his fave candybar is, as a chaser. (wink, wink)

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  85. Made a practice run yesterday what a hit so the real one if today and tunred out just a beatiful. I did mine in square pans - much easier to serve and it was the hit of the day. Thanks for posting.

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    1. What a great idea!!! I love the idea of doing this in square pans. Tell me, were they 8 inch square, or what? I just may have to try this method next! Thank you for your sweet comment!!!

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  86. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was wonderful! I did modify the recipe to make it my own and needless to say, people did "have a moment" after their first bite lol

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    1. LOL. You crack me up! Glad they had their "moment". Isn't this cake just wonderful??? I love it! Thank you, easleyca for leaving your comment!

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  87. sweetjeanette...Thought I'd send you a report on my effort at your luscious Pecan Pie Cake for Thanksgiving. It was fabulous! I also saw a picture of my friend's Thanksgiving table and among the desserts was your perfectly recognizable three layer Pecan Pie Cake with a couple of slices removed. It's was lovely!

    Having read some cautions of traveling with this cake, I decided to forgo the risk and make it in a 13 x 9 pan. It turned out great, and I think the key to my success in making it into two layers was the large round layer-sized transfer spatula-thingie I bought awhile back, but hadn't had occasion to use, yet.

    Once the cake was out of the pan, upside down (pecan side up) on the cooling rack (with lots of waxed paper beneath!) and completely cooled, I took a very long serrated bread knife (the best knife I owned for this job) and sliced the cake into two halves from one end through the middle to the other end, carefully holding it together and sawing delicately. Before I removed the knife, I used it to lift the end of the top layer up a little to insert the spatula-thingie and was able to slide that to almost the other end of the layer. Used the knife to support that end, and moved the top layer (the one with the pecans) to another piece of waxed paper.

    Then, I used the spatula-thingie to get the bottom layer back into the same baking pan(after washing and drying the pan, of course), spread the filling over it, and with the spatula-thingie placed the top layer on the filling (pecan side up). It went back into the pan almost perfectly, and with a little nudging settled right into perfect! Covered the pan with foil, loaded it into the car and made the trip over the meadow and through the woods to my brother's house for Thanksgiving dinner.

    There were other desserts, but your Pecan Pie Cake was the hit of the holiday table! It's especially good with whipped cream.

    For the record, I sifted my flour before measuring. And I actually used 3 cups of finely chopped pecans like your directions said, although I wasn't sure if maybe you meant 3 cups of pecans chopped finely. I had a LOVELY pecan crust on that cake. Also, the 13 x 9 pan was clear glass, so the filling showed between the layers.

    Thanks for the new Thanksgiving memory!

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    1. Wow DonnaLou! Thank you for the detailed explanation. I'm so glad you commented, and I hope School Baker comes back and reads your comment! She wasn't the only one who wondered if this could be done in a 9 x 13 pan. You've been a great help! Thank you.

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  88. Question: do you use only the egg whites from the 5 sperated eggs or the 9 egg whites from all 9 eggs?

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    1. Hey there! You use the 5 separated eggs - the whites the cake part talks about are the whites from those five eggs in the batter. If it helps, think of the filling and the cake batter as two separate recipes. Hope that helps. Merry Christmas!

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  89. Hi Jeanette... my hubby LOVES pecan pie, but doesn't like the actual Pecan nut... He says it's a texture thing. He will peel the pecans off of the pie and eat the rest. I'm sure he would like this cake, but I wondered about grinding up the pecans and adding it to the cake mix instead... To give it Pecan flavor without the actual texture. Any suggestions?

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    1. Funny you should ask (LOL) The last pecan pie cake I made, I didn't have whole, or half pecans. All I had was a very fine pecan "meal" (I guess that's what you'd call it) in the freezer. I used that. Nobody was the wiser and it was great. I'd say go for it. :-) PS: I'm the same way about coconut! LOL

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  90. Hey Jeanette,
    I am in the process of making the cake. Filling is in it holding period. My question is .... How far ahead of time can this cake be made? Can the cake part be frozen? I am making it for Christmas. Just can't wait to taste it...;o)

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    1. I would think you could freeze the cake layers but not sure I'd try to freeze the filling.

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  91. I forgot to ask....Has anyone used cane syrup instead of Kayro to pour ontop of the cake?

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    1. Hmmm I remember cane syrup as a child. Cane syrup has a much stronger flavor than Karo. I don't think I would ,personally, use that. (It's a distinct flavor and I can't remember but isn't it not as thick as Karo? You want that consistency too. Hope this helps.

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  92. This cake looks pretty sweet. I am going to have to make this for the next function I attend. I don't dare make it for the house with just two of us. I can feel my knees ache with the weight I'd gain. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

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    1. Brad, it is sinful! LOL I only make this one when I know we're going to be sharing it, or giving - like you said, it's too dangerous to keep around. Enjoy!

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  93. This cake looks really good. i am a new pecan pie lover so i must try this. my hubby loves pecan pie and his birthday is in march so maybe i will make it for him. oh and nice name!
    From a fellow Jeanette!

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    1. Well hello Jeanette!! Nice to meet another Jeanette. This cake is sooo incredibly good. Hope your hubby will like it (btw, my birthday is in March too!) Do come back and let me know how y'all liked it, ok?

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  94. Looks simply heavenly!!!

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  95. Recipe sounds divine. I would like to try it but I don't get pecans and corn syrup where I live. Could I use walnuts/almonds instead and use golden syrup?

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  96. What is buttermilk?

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  97. Sorry ladies I think I may have just confused myself but is the recipe good as is or is there a mistake in the butter in either the filling or the cake? Thanks!

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  98. Just found this on Pinterest. Was reading all the comments. I have a recipe for a "Snickers" cake from my dear old aunt- it was made in a 9x13 and called for 2/3 of the batter to be baked, then the melted caramel topping poured on top & remaining cake batter immediately poured on top of the caramel. The cake was then baked another several minutes. The caramel always oozed out a little & made a crispy little edge. That cake did not have a frosting either- it was too rich anyway.

    I'm thinking I will try a similar method with this cake tonight. I'll try to come back & let you know how it goes. I figure the cake can cool plenty overnight after its baked just as well via the above method ^^^^^^^^^

    --Ellen L.

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  99. Oh Ellen! DO come back and let us all know how it turned out! Oh, better yet.... how about making it Sunday?!? LOL

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  100. This HAS to be the BEST cake I have EVER made!!!! I may not ever bake a different cake again! I don't want to repin it on pinterest for fear of someone else baking it at the family get togethers :-)

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    1. oh you're too funny!!! It is a great cake. Our family loves it too. By the way, I think Pinterest now has a private feature for your pins, that only you can see. LOL

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  101. I made this today, and like others have said, it was completely amazing. Best cake I've ever had!

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    1. So glad you liked it. I have to agree... it IS amazing!

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  102. this cake looks amazing!! Can't wait to go shopping tomorrow the get all the ingredients!!! Thanks for sharing!!

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  103. Hey sweetjeanette. I am from the south also, but my favorite recipe for pecan pie has grandulated sugar and light corn syrup. How much of a difference is it going to make in the taste? Have you ever tried it with light karo and light brown sugar? I have no dark karo. Love to bake and think my bunch would love this. Could I mix light karo with cane syrup?

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  104. made this today and i have a couple things to say about it. it was great...tasty and i will make again, but i did not have a few of the ingredients and had to sub things. no dark corn syrup, as i rarely cook w/it; i used light and added molasses (2 parts corn syrup, 1 part darks corn syrup). i did not have enough eggs for yolks; i used a vinegar/baking soda mix (1t baking soda, 1T vinegar) substitute. i did not chill the topping for 4 hours; i took the suggestion on southern living to chill it over a bowl of ice/water mix. worked like a charm! i forgot the dark syrup in the batter...i didn't see where it made a difference; the cake was still FAB! my batter only filled 2 round cake pans, so i only have 2 layers and added some of the topping on the top/sides of the cake. additionally, my cake wasn't ready in 25 minutes. it took more like 40 minutes. all in all, i loved this cake and will definitely make for special occasions!

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  105. Im making this tonight for my grandparents 70th birthday tomorrow. (Yes, they share a birthday haha born 12 hrs apart!) Im making the filling and the cake tonight and putting everything seperate in the fridge overnight as i have discerned from previous comments it doesnt travel well. Im going to put it all together tomorrow at their house. Ill let you know how this turns out! Im so excited!

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  106. I am looking for an off the hook recipe to make for a bake sale. I found this recipe and it sounds awesome, but was wondering how it will hold together after I slice it into individual portions. Am making this for home regardless after reading comments, but wondering if you recommend me finding another recipe for bake sale after seeing how it holds together after sliced. I will be taking the individual slices in bowls about 3 miles is all...

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  107. Hi Jeanette, This looks amazing. I can't wait to give it a try. I posted a link to it on my blog: http://judycreates.blogspot.com/2013/02/pecan-pie-cake.html

    Judy

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  108. I have made this 2 times now and I love it. The only thing with mine is that the filling makes enough for more than the 2 layers that you put it on. I ended up putting it on top as well and still had some left. Maybe I should half it next time.

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  109. I made this a few weeks ago. It was delicious. It was my turn to cook Sunday lunch. (There are 3 couples from church that get together on Sunday, and cook). I have been ask to fix it again for a get together this weekend. Will be my pleasure. Thanks for the recipe.
    Shirley

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    1. Isn't it great?! I love this recipe. You're so welcome. Glad I could share!

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  110. I have been looking for this recipe for a very long time without any luck, but thanks to you I have finally found it. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I can't wait to make this. I just hope I can share it when I get it made.

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    1. Christy - you're so sweet! It will be tempting to keep it all to yourself, believe me. But think of the adoration that will be heaped upon you!!! (giggle)

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  111. I know it's a bit early but I am thinking of making this for Thanksgiving this year. Do you think this could be made gluten free?

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    1. Hmmm... Ya know, Michel I haven't made the switch yet to GF so I'm afraid I can't answer that question. BUT, it's a great question and I think I'll post that to all the viewers of SweetJeanette and see if we can come up with an answer. Since you asked, now I'm wondering too. ;-)

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  112. I just made this cake! I can't wait to go to our friend's house for dinner!one change I made to be all fancy schmancy was to arrange pecan halves on the bottom of a pan ( upside down, of course) so my top layer now is a very pretty arrangement of pecans with the chopped pecans in between. I am sure it won't taste any differentt but I was just having a little trouble wrapping my mind around a cake with no icing on top. Now it is so pretty I don't care. Of course, if all these comments are true it won't matter very long how it looks!

    Next week I am buying Milky Way bars!
    Thanks so much for sharing!

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    1. Oh Donna! That sounds beautiful!!! I wish I could've seen it in person!!! Hope you enjoy the Milky Way Bar cake!!!

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  113. My husband's favorite pie is Pecan and this cake just seems to incorporate all the richness that he enjoys. His birthday is in June and I plan on surprising him with this cake. I expect to make some adjustments as everyone's ovens' are different. I hope it turns out or I'll be the one that's surprised! Thank you for sharing. I enjoy your blog. I'm a northern transplant enjoying living the southern life. The pace is a bit slower, the hospitality can't be beat and the food is out of this world! God Bless.

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    1. Do come back and share how it turned out! Hope your hubby loves it! I'm not ashamed to say I love the South. I was born here, so I don't have any other comparison, but southern folk are good people. :-)

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  114. My husband's 50th is next Tuesday and I was going to make one of my signature "Oh My Ganache" cakes but then saw this recipe. One of his favorite pies is pecan pie. I'm going to experiment with a possible caramel ganache type glaze to let ooze down the sides.

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  115. What is shortening? Crisco? Can I substitute more butter instead of shortening so I don't have to buy a full container of Crisco? Thanks!!

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    1. Yes, Crisco is a shortening. About substituting the butter instead. Hmmmmm. I'm not sure that the outcome would be the same. I understand your concern about purchasing the shortening just for this recipe. Perhaps a small size, or they sell "sticks" of Crisco here (like sticks of butter). Just an idea. But if you do use the butter instead, (I've never wanted to risk all my work not working out, LOL) please come back here and leave a comment how it turned out. I'm sure others would be interested to know.

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  116. This cake is just heavenly. I've made it a couple of times one time it was an overcast day but still tasted so delicious. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe with us.

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    1. Leslie, isn't it?!? I just love this cake. You cracked me up with the comment about making it on an overcast day! Yes, I don't think I'd let that stop me from eating it. Tastes wonderful whether or not it sets firm or not, eh? I'm so glad you liked it!

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  117. I made this for my birthday, and it is nothing short of amazing. I even got lucky and could make the filling on the only day it was NOT raining! Because we couldn't eat very much at once for fear of going into sugar overload, one cake easily fed all 15 or so people at the party, with a bit left over. Thank you so much for sharing!

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    1. Beth, Thank you for coming back and sharing with us how you enjoyed the cake! (I love it!!!) So glad the rain let up for the day you needed to make the filling! (Score!)
      easily feed 15 people??? Wow, those are not the peeps I hang with! We were licking the plate. LOL

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    2. We were also drinking, which may have had something to do with it. LOL

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