Pecan Pie Cake ...THE recipe , since you asked!!!!!

This is a more complicated recipe but SO SO SO worth every minute of prep time!!!!! This cake is not only a delicious dessert, it is ART!!!

Pecan Pie Cake
Southern Living October 1999

Preparation time: 35 minutes

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 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 recipe Pecan Pie Filling
1 recipe Pastry Garnish (optional)

Sprinkle 2 cups pecans evenly into 2 generously buttered 9-inch (or 2 10 inch) round cakepans; shake to coat bottoms and sides of pans. I USE TWO 10 inch round pans for more servings. Quantities remain the same.

Beat 1/2 cup butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Add flour and baking soda to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in remaining 1 cup finely chopped pecans.

Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining egg whites. (Do not overmix.) Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. NO MORE THAN!!!!! Invert layers onto wax paper-lined wire racks. Brush tops and sides of layers with corn syrup, and cool completely.

Pecan pie Filling
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup corn starch
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
WHISK together first 6 ingredients in a 3 QT sauce pan until smooth.
Bring mixture to a boil over med. heat, whisking constantly. Boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat.
WHISK IN butter and vanilla. Place a sheet of wax paper over filling to prevent skin from forming. Chill for 4 hours
OR PLACE pan of fillling into larger bowl of ice water, Whisk constantly as afilling chills.

PASTRY GARNISH
1 15 oz pkg refrigerated pie crust (or make your own)
1 large egg
1 tbsp water
24 pecan halves
unroll pie crust or roll scratch crust on pastry cloth; use leaf shaped cookie cutters and cut about a dozen or so crust leaves. Mark veins on leaves using sharp knife. Use scraps of crust dough to wrap pecans , roll pea sized pieces of dough place between pecan halves ...pecans and dough will look like partially shelled pecans. SPRAY cookie sheet with no stick spray. Roll balls of tin foil and spray them. Drape leaves over tin foil balls for baking so as to resemble dried crumbling leaves. Brush pecans wrapped in dough and leaves with egg white and water mixture. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Remove all leave sand pecan pieces from cookie sheet after baking is completed.

ASSEMBLY:
Place one layer on cake plate.Spread half of Pecan Pie Filling on 1 layer, pecan side up. Place second layer, pecan side up, on filling; spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining layer, pecan side up.

Arrange Pastry Garnish on and around cake, if desired.
Serve and bow often , accepting the compliments of all your guests for choosing such an awesome recipe !!!!