LANE CAKE

LEARN! You don’t need to be an experienced baker to make this cake. It is so precisely written step-by-step as to lead you all the way from start to finish. This recipe should definitely head every ‘cake’ recipe book. It definitely should be placed in all Home Economics cook books in schools. My Home Economics book sure didn’t give this much detail.

As you will see, by reading through the steps, there is more to baking a ‘scratch’ cake than throwing all the ingredients into a bowl and turning on the mixer. I’m sure you can put these detailed lessons learned to work for you with many other recipes in the future.

This cake is from some very old cookbook. If I ever knew, I’ve lost track. But, from reading, I can tell it is at least 60 to 70 years old. At least, it was written back when people baked in ‘uncontrolled ovens’…re: wood stoves. Which I did use when I was growing up. (You controlled the temperature by sticking your hand into the heated oven. If it didn’t feel hot enough you added more wood to the fire). I think I got this from a Family Circle or Woman’s Day magazine around 1960 or earlier.

LET’S BEGIN OUR ‘LANE CAKE’: First, read through entire recipe. These are the ingredients needed. Make no substitutions. All measurements are level. Assemble all ingredients. Remove butter and eggs from refrigerator and put 1 cup butter in large bowl of electric mixer (or other bowl if making cake by hand). Let stand 1/2 to 1 hour. Butter should be workable but not soft or runny. Separate eggs while still cold and cover yolks so they don’t dry out.
 

1. With pastry brush and softened butter or margarine (not from the 1 cup), grease and flour bottom and sides of 4 round 9 layer-cake pans 1" deep. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper cut to fit. Grease and flour the parchment. (If you have only 2 pans, let half the batter stand in bowl while baking 2 layers After removing first 2 baked layers. Wash and dry pans. Grease and line bottoms.)

2. Have top oven rack in about center of oven. Put second rack about 2" below. Turn on oven: set at 375F. If oven has no control, use a portable oven thermometer and keep correct temperature by controlling heat. NOTE by Dolores: This shows just how old this recipe is!

3. With electric mixer or large spoon, beat butter until fluffy.

4. Gradually add sugar and beat after each addition until light and fluffy.

5. Add vanilla and beat until mixture is as light as whipped cream.

6. Sift; then lightly spoon flour into measuring cup for dry ingredients and fill heaping full. Do not shake down or pack with spoon. Level off with metal spatula.

7. Put measured flour into sifter with baking powder and salt and sift into bowl.

8. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to butter mixture in small, amounts, blending after each addition until smooth. (Use lowest speed of electric mixer, wooden spoon.) NOTE: Be careful to only blend, no more beating at this point.

9. Thoroughly wash and dry electric mixer or rotary beater and bowl. (Even a speck of butter on beater or in bowl will prevent egg whites from becoming stiff.) Beat egg whites until they stand in soft. glossy points, but not until dry.

10. With large spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold whites into batter. To do this, drop beaten whites on top of batter. With side of spoon, cut down through batter to bottom of bowl. Turn spoon and bring it up side of bowl. folding some batter over whites. Do not press down on whites. Continue until whites are evenly distributed.

11. Divide batter evenly among 4 pans and spread to sides with spatula. (If you have only 2 pans. see step 1.)

12. Put 2 pans on each oven rack so that one pan is not directly beneath another. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until done. Cake is done when it shrinks from sides of pan and surface springs back when presses lightly with finger.

13. Let pans stand on cake racks 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully loosen around edges with spatula. turn layers upside down on racks. Slowly peel off parchment paper, then turn right side up. Cool thoroughly.

TO MAKE FROSTING
1. Cover raisins with hot water, let stand a few minutes, then drain and dry.
2. Put egg yolks in top part of double boiler and beat slightly with rotary beater.
3. Add sugar, salt and butter.
4. Put over simmering water and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, butter melts and mixture is slightly thickened. DO NOT overcook or let egg yolks become scrambled in appearance. Mixture should be almost translucent.
5. Remove from heat and add whiskey.
6. Beat mixture 1 minute with rotary beater.
7. Add nuts, raisins, coconut and cherries. If double-boiler top is too small to hold all this, mix ingredients in large bowl; cool.

NOTE: This recipe was originally made with seeded raisins, now almost unavailable. If these are used, soaking in hot water will not be necessary. Simply chop coarsely.

TO FROST CAKE Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Frosting on sides may slide off. Lift with spatula and spread back on sides. Repeat if necessary.

TO STORE CAKE Cover with cake cover or loosely with foil or plastic wrap, tucking it under plate, and store in cool place. Stored this way, cake will keep well 1 to 2 weeks. If frozen, then vapor-proof wrapped and stored in freezer cake will keep almost indefinitely.

TO PREPARE FRESH COCONUT (I use regular Angle Flake coconut)

1. Pierce the two coconut 'eyes" with screwdriver or ice pick and drain off liquid.
2. Put coconut in shallow pan and heat in moderate oven (350"F.) 15 to 30 minutes. (Shell should crack slightly.)
3. Remove coconut from oven, tap all over with hammer, then break open.
4. Pry out coconut meat and peel off dark skin.
5. Rinse coconut and dry on paper bowel. 6. Grate or shred on hand grater or shredder Or whirl in blender.

NOTE Coconut can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen (thaw before using). When measuring, pack lightly in cup. The End

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