Sweet Pecan Baby Cakes Recipes

Steps:

• Make Spiced Pecans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them for 10 minutes, until fragrant. Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl, using your fingers to mix everything thoroughly. Stir in the melted butter to make a paste. Add the toasted pecans to the mixture and stir to coat, then spread them evenly on the baking sheet and return to the oven for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, drizzle over the rum, and bake for 8 more minutes, stirring once. Remove from the oven, cool completely and leave the oven on. When cool, chop the pecans into medium-fine pieces, some larger than others, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel, and mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or fork.
• Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 minutes. Add the canola oil; beat on medium until combined. Add the mashed sweet potatoes and mix until combined. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and then mix the dry ingredients into the sweet potato mixture. Mix in vanilla and rum. Fold in 1 1/4 cups of the chopped Spiced Pecans by hand. Evenly distribute cake batter into the prepared pans, and transfer to the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; cool completely.
• Make the buttercream while the cake is baking: Beat the egg yolks in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until very thick, about 5 minutes. Combine the sugar with the syrup in a small saucepan, and set over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a full boil. Immediately scrape the mixture into a heatproof 1-cup glass measure. With the mixer on high speed, pour a few tablespoons of the sugar mixture into the yolks and beat for a few seconds. Repeat until all of the syrup has been added. Beat until the bowl has cooled to room temperature. On medium speed, add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. The frosting will begin to come together after all of the butter has been incorporated (it will look curdled first, but be patient and it will come together beautifully!). Scrape the bowl and beat in the vanilla and salt. Mix in 3/4 cup chopped Spiced Pecans.
• Cut each cooled cake layer in half horizontally, creating 4 layers. Set 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake round or cake plate and spread a thin layer of frosting on the surface. Stack next layer on top, and frost. Repeat frosting-and-stacking process until each layer is frosted. Spread remaining frosting on sides and top of cake. Arrange remaining Spiced Pecans decoratively on top of cake. Chill for 1 hour or serve immediately if you can't wait!
• A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.

Steps:

• Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• Combine flour and baking soda.
• Gradually add half of flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended, and stopping to scrape bottom and down sides of bowl.
• Add remaining half of flour mixture, and beat until blended.
• Add vanilla and next 5 ingredients, beating at medium speed until smooth.
• Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray, filling two-thirds full.
• 3. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes.
• Remove warm cakes from pan, and sprinkle with toasted pecans.
• Top each cake with 2 1/2 Tbsp Caramel-Pecan Sauce (*recipe follows).
• Serve with vanilla ice cream or ice-cold heavy cream, if desired.
• *Caramel-Pecan Sauce:.
• Cook butter and sugar in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
• Whisk in heavy cream and coffee granules. Bring mixture to a light boil, stirring constantly.
• Turn off heat, and let stand on cooktop until slightly cool, stirring often. Makes 2 cups.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Lightly butter a baking sheet.
• In a bowl, beat the egg white until foamy. Mix in cinnamon, sugar, salt, and water. Mix well. Stir in pecan halves, stirring until well coated. Spread on baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Cake: set an oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat oven to 350°; butter three 8-inch round cake pans; line them with parchment or wax paper cut to fit; then butter the paper; dust all over with fine dry bread crumbs, invert the pans over paper and tap gently to shake out excess; set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, and nutmeg; set aside.
• In a big bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar and oil just to mix.
• Add in egg yolks; beat to mix.
• On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the boiling water and vanilla in two additions; remove the bowl from the mixer and set aside.
• Note: to prepare the potatoes-peel them and then grate them on the fine grater of a food processor or with a hand-held grater set over a piece of foil; use the side of the grater that has small, round-not diamond-shaped-openings; measure 2 cups tightly packed.
• Stir the potatoes and then the pecans into the batter.
• In a small bowl of an electric mixer (with clean beaters), beat the whites until they hold a straight shape when the beaters are raised, but are not stiff or dry.
• Without being too thorough, fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites, handling as little as necessary until just incorporated.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
• Bake the three pans on the same oven rack for 30-35 minutes, until the cakes barely begin to come away from the sides of the pan (these layers might not spring back when pressed with a fingertip, even though they will be done).
• Cool in the pans for 2-3 minutes; then cover each pan with a rack, turn the pan and rack over, remove the pan and paper lining, cover with another rack, and turn over again, leaving the layers right side up to cool.
• When you are ready to ice the cake, place four 12x4 inch strips of parchment or wax paper in a square pattern around the sides of a large cake plate; place one layer on the plate.
• Stir the apricot preserves in a small saucepan over medium heat to melt.
• Then press through a strainer; with a teaspoon or pastry brush, spread the first cake layer with 1/3 of the preserves; reserve the remaining preserves.
• Icing: add the sugar, cream of tartar, and water in a 6-cup saucepan; with a wooden spoon stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil.
• Cover airtight and let boil 3 minutes (this keeps the steam in the pot and dissolves any sugar crystals that cling to the sides).
• Uncover and insert a candy thermometer; increase heat to high and let boil, without stirring, until the thermometer registers 242°.
• Shortly before the sugar syrup is done (or when the thermometer registers about 236°--soft ball stage), add the salt to the egg whites in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat until the whites are stiff (if the sugar syrup is not ready, turn the beater to lowest speed and let it beat slowly until the syrup is ready; or you can let the whites stand, but no longer than necessary).
• When the syrup reaches 242°, turn the mixer to high speed and gradually add the syrup in a thin stream (it may be easiest if you pour the syrup into a pitcher and add it from the pitcher).
• Then continue to beat at high speed, scraping the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, for about 5 minutes or until the icing is quite thick and stiff (if necessary, beat some more; the icing may still be warm when it is used).
• Add the vanilla and almond extract a minute or two before the icing is stiff enough.
• Spread the first cake layer with icing about ½ inch thick.
• Place the second layer over it and spread with 1/3 of melted apricot preserves, and then cover it with a layer of icing about ½ inch thick.
• Cover with the third cake layer and the remaining preserves.
• Now, it is best to ice the sides first; use a long, narrow metal spatula to ice the sides, thinly at first, and then build it up until it is about ½ inch thick, or thicker.
• Smooth the sides; use the remaining icing on the top; spread it smooth.
• After the sides and the top are smooth and even, then, with the back of a teaspoon or with the spatula, form swirls and peaks evenly on the top of the cake.
• To coat the sides with the coconut, first spread out the coconut the length of a foil or wax paper next to the cake plate.
• Take a handful of the coconut in the palm of your hand and turn your hand to place the coconut on the sides of the cake, starting at the top and working your way down.
• When much of the coconut falls onto the plate, remove it with your fingers and replace it either on the cake or on the pile of coconut on the paper.
• Then, use a long, narrow metal spatula to pick up the coconut that has fallen to the plate and return it onto the sides of the cake.
• Finally, fold the paper strips around the bottom up against the cake, and the coconut that has fallen to the strip will stick to the base of the cake; last, sprinkle all the remaining coconut over the top.
• Remove the paper strips by pulling each one slowly and gently toward a narrow end.
• Since the cake is so high, use a long-bladed knife to cut it and dinner plates to serve it on.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, potatoes, shortening, water and egg. Combine dry ingredients; add to potato mixture and mix well. Stir in raisins and pecans. Pour into a greased 8-cup fluted tube pan. , Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine pie filling, sweet potatoes, cinnamon and pie spice in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cake mix and cheese; dot with butter. Drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with pecans. Bake until golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
• Mix butter, milk, coconut milk, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly mix into the milk mixture. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake cakes in the preheated oven until tops are golden yellow and spring back when lightly pressed, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Prepare frosting while cakes are baking. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, egg yolks, and flour in a saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken. Add vanilla and stir for 1 minute. Pour in pecans; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
• Remove frosting from heat and let cool. Remove cakes from the oven and set aside to cool, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Cover with some of the cooled frosting. Top with the second cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting.