Pecan & Chocolate Meringue-Cradled White Cake

This recipe originated in the 1953 Pillsbury Bake-Off Collection.

Ingredients for the meringue:
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans
1/2 ounce unsweetened grated chocolate [Chill the chocolate and put it in a food processor with the pecans and a tablespoon of the sugar that goes into the meringue.]

Ingredients for the cake:
1 cup cake flour (4 ounces) or 1 cup “measured-after-sifting” bleached flour (4 ounces)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk, room temperature

whole toasted pecans dipped in semisweet chocolate

Preparing the meringue:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.

Spray a 9- by 5-inch metal loaf pan with flour-added cooking spray, then line the bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper.

Measure out all ingredients, line them up and have them ready to go so the meringue doesn’t have to sit for too long.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in vanilla, then fold in nut-chocolate mixture. Spread mixture over bottom and a little over halfway up the sides of the loaf pan, doing your best to make a nice cradle. Set aside.

Preparing the cake:
Sift the flour, then stir it together with the baking powder and salt; set aside.

Wipe out the mixing bowl, then cream the butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla and beat on high for a couple of minutes, scraping bowl often. Stir in flour mixture alternatively with milk until well blended (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Pour cake mixture into pan so it goes right down the center of the meringue cradle.

Bake in lower third of the oven for 45-50 minutes. Meringue will look golden. Do not invert pan yet. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then loosen with a spatula and set pan on a rack for 25 minutes. Invert on a serving plate. Peel off parchment paper; cool completely.


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Another version:

Ingredients for the meringue:
1/2 cup superfine sugar, divided
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/2 ounce fine-quality unsweetened or 99% cacao chocolate, chopped and chilled
2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

Ingredients for the cake:
2 egg yolks from above
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cake flour (or bleached all-purpose
flour), sifted into the cup and leveled off
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (65-75 degrees F)

One 9 by 4- or 5-inch loaf pan greased and lined with parchment.

Preparing the cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven.

Place 1 tablespoon of the sugar in one bowl and the remaining sugar in another bowl. Toast the pecans and cool completely. Place the chocolate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. In a food processor, process, with long pulses, the pecans, chilled chocolate, and the 1 tablespoon of sugar until finely ground.

Have the ingredients for the cake batter ready so that the meringue does not have to sit too long before baking.

In a medium bowl, place the yolks and coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray to prevent a crust from forming. Set aside for the cake batter. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, pour in the egg whites. Beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until soft peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Raise the speed to medium-high and gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until very glossy and stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Fold in the pecan mixture until evenly incorporated. With a spatula, scrape the egg white mixture into the prepared pan. Spread it evenly in the bottom and three-quarters of the way up the sides, creating a long rectangular hollow in the center to contain the batter. Set aside briefly while mixing the batter.

In the bowl with the reserved yolks, whisk in 1 tablespoon of the buttermilk and the vanilla just until lightly combined. Cover and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining buttermilk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for one and a half minutes. The mixture will lighten in color and texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Spoon the batter into the meringue-lined pan and smooth the surface evenly with a small metal spatula. The batter will come just to the top of the dacquoise.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. The meringue and cake batter will both rise, but toward the end of baking, the cake will dome a little above the dacquoise and split in the center.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack until the bottom is no longer warm to the touch. In the metal pan, the cake can be unmolded after 20 minutes of cooling. Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the sides of the cake, pressing firmly against the pan, and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Cool completely. Uncovered, the unfrosted cake will keep for 2 days at room temperature.

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Here’s a slightly adapted version from the Pillsbury Bake-Off book:

Beat 4 large egg whites until soft mounds form. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating constantly until stiff glossy peaks form.

Fold in 1 cup pecans, finely chopped, and 1 ounce grated unsweetened chocolate.

Spread meringue evenly over bottom and about three-fourths up sides of a 10-inch tube pan which has been greased and lined with parchment paper on the bottom.

Sift together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt (may be too much; 1/2 teaspoon may be fine) and 2 1/2 teaspoons double acting baking powder.

Cream 4 ounces unsalted butter, gradually add 1 cup sugar, creaming well. Add 4 unbeaten egg yolks; beat well.

Combine 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add alternately with the dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition.

Turn onto the meringue-lined pan.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Do not underbake. Cool 20 minutes. Loosen cake with spatula. Cool 30 minutes longer before removing from pan. Decorate top of cakes with pecan halves dipped in chocolate.