Pecan Cake ~ Christmas Coffee

Holiday Pecan Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans chopped

1.5 cups granulated sugar

1.5 cups lite brown sugar

4.5 cups all purpose flour

6 eggs large

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

2.5 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup oil( vegetable or canola)

2 cups buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

The pecans need to be browned in butter.

You will need:

The chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons butter and two tablespoons light brown sugar.

In a frying pan add butter let melt and slightly start to bubble, add pecans and add sugar. Keep roasting lightly until pecans are lightly toasted. Let cool and set aside until needed.

Sift dry ingredients

Start by beating eggs with both sugars they should be lite in color and very very fluffy.

Add half of oil and butter cream and half of flour, beat until smooth about a minute, add rest of ingredients and heat until smooth.

Fold in pecans and pour into your choice of baking pans.

I used a buttered 9 by 13 or 24 cup cakes.

Filling

Dolce de leche ( one can of sweetened condensed milk)

Can of sweetened condensed milk place on a deep pot of water Low to medium heat for 3 to 4 hours. Make sure if water evaporates You add more. After time is up do not open can until completely cooled.

Add ice to cool down and wait at least 3 to 4 hours to cool down.

Frosting ( enough for two cakes or 24 cupcakes)

All ingredients to be room temperature

16 ounces full fat cream cheese

4 sticks unsalted butter

5 to 6 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

6 tablespoons full fat sour cream

Whip butter until white and fluffy, add cream cheese whip until combined.

Add vanilla and sour cream and whip until combined.

Start adding powdered sugar and slowly whipping when all sugar added whip until very fluffy about two minutes. Cream should be done. Refrigerate until needed

Glazed pecans

1/2 cup lite brown sugar

Two tablespoons butter

4 to 6 tablespoons water

Two cups of whole pecans ( lightly toasted)

Sea salt ( optional ) 1/4 teaspoon

In a skillet melt the butter add the sugar on low keep stirring until sugar is all coated in butter

Add two tablespoons water and sugar should start to dissolve add more water if is needed. It should look like a smooth glaze. Add pecans stir well as soon as the pecans are coated and all sugar is dissolved and smooth they are ready to come out and be placed on a parchment sheet.

If you want them to be like a praline, cook for a few seconds longer as long as they not burn

While warm and on parchment sprinkle lightly with sea salt

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Christmas Coffee 

Ingredients:

7 cups water

2 3-inch cinnamon sticks

9 whole cloves

1/4 cup sugar

2 slices orange rind

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons instant coffee

Whipped cream

Directions:

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, adding cinnamon sticks and whole cloves, sugar and instant coffee.  Serve with plenty of whipped cream.