Mother-in-Law Cake

"I feel the end approaching.
Quick, bring me my dessert, coffee and liqueur."
- Pierette, great-aunt of Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Mother-in-Law Cake
Gourmet Archives

1/2 (1 stick) cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk

Line bottoms of two buttered 9-inch round cake pans with wax paper
[or parchment], butter the paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out the excess. In a large bowl with electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Into a bowl sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves and soda. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk.
In a bowl beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Stir 1/4 of them into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining white, gently but thoroughly. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees F. Let layers cool in pans on rack, then invert them onto the rack. Remove wax paper. Working quickly arrange one layer, flat side up, on cake plate, frost with then layer of Brown Sugar Icing, top with remaining layer, flat side down. Frost side and top with the remaining Brown Sugar Icing.

Brown Sugar Icing

2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

In large saucepan combine brown sugar, buttermilk, butter, soda and
vanilla. Boil mixture until it registers 236 degrees F. on a candy
thermometer. Beat mixture, off the heat, with wooden spoon 3 to 5
minutes, or until it loses its sheen. Stir in the nuts. (Icing should be
reheated if it becomes too hard to spread.)