Lane Cake
Difficulty 4/5 Ingredients 15 Steps 10
A Lane cake is a layered white cake traditional in the American South. The outside has a white frosting, and each layer has different ingredients. For example, one layer may have pecans and coconut, the next layer almonds. Due to the complicated preparations and multiple ingredients, Lane cakes are considered difficult to make.
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ lb (225 g) butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups (480 g) white granulated sugar
- 3½ cups (525 g) all-purpose flour
- 3½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 8 egg whites
Filling
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 cup (240 g) white granulated sugar
- ½ lb (225 g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) raisins, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (240 g) pecans, chopped
- ½ cup (120 g) shredded dried coconut
- ¼ cup bourbon or grape juice
- 1 cup candied cherries
Steps
Cake
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
- Mix milk and flour mixture into butter, alternating, beginning with flour, until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Whip egg whites to medium-stiff peaks in clean, grease-free bowl. Fold into batter.
- Divide batter between greased, parchment-lined cake pans. Bake at 350°F until tops are springy and toothpick in middle comes out clean.
- Cool. Unmold.
Filling
- Whip yolks and sugar in saucepan. Stir in butter.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and coats back of spoon. Do not overcook. Remove from heat.
- Stir in raisins, pecans, coconut, bourbon and candied cherries.
- Cool slightly. Spread over cake layers.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Lane Cake” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2025-07-11, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.