In the South, layer cakes are a point of pride for those who make them.
She took first prize.
Though later versions add shredded coconut and pecans to the filling, the original recipe calls for raisins only.
Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman
In July 1960,Lane Cakegained literary fame inTo Kill A Mockingbird.
And in March 1966,Southern Livingfeatured a recipe for Lane Cake in its second issue.
Cakes were often sweetened with homemade jams, filled with wild berries and mountain fruits.
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The payoff for the genius swap?
Rich, dense cake layers with a depth of flavor sugar alone can’t deliver.
Foraged hickories and black walnuts, or wind-fallen pecans were added along with raisins and dates.
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In the 1940s, Eudora Welty chose a coconut cake as the culinary centerpiece ofDelta Wedding.
Faulkner even gives it a shout-out inThe Unvanquished.
One of the earliest published recipes appears in Mrs. Hill’sNew Cook Book.
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You’re in for an even sweeter surprise.
These layers are filled with a buttery rich lemon curd instead.
Over the years, the original recipe for lemon cheese evolved into one using butter and eggs.
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Hummingbird Cake
When the Hummingbird Cake was first submitted toSouthern Livingin 1978 by Mrs. L.H.
Coca-Cola Cake
In 1886, a pharmacist named John Pemberton created cola syrup in Atlanta, Georgia.
German Chocolate cake
Despite the name, German chocolate cake was born in Dallas in the 1950s.
Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman
The chocolate-coconut-pecan confection is perfectly decadent.
Our version is made it a little easier by using jarred lemon curd and store-bought chocolate pudding.
This cake is prized for its texture, thanks to mayonnaise.
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Traditionally, it is topped with a rich chocolate icing.
In 1989, an armadillo-shaped groom’s cake inSteel Magnoliaskicked off a cult following for red velvet.
Gateau de Sirop (Syrup Cake)
This Louisiana delicacy lets an iconic Southern ingredientcane syrupstand out.
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You’ll often see this cake in one singular layer or two short layers.
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Credit: Photo: Victor Protasi; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox
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Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
