Preparation:
Prepare Cream Cheese Icing, cover and chill.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Coat bottom of 3 (9 inch) round cake pans with cooking spray and line
bottoms
of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray. Dust with flour;
set aside.
Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer
until well blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each
addition. Combine flour and baking soda; stir well. Add flour mixture to
creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour
mixture. Stir in pecans and extracts.
Beat egg whites at high speed of a mixer until stiff peaks form (do not
overbeat) Fold in egg whites into batter; pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 23 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes on wire rack.
Loosen cake layers from sides of pans using a narrow metal spatula, turn out
onto wire racks. Peel of wax paper; let cool completely.
Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread 2/3 cup Cream Cheese Icing; top with
another cake layer. Repeat with 2/3 cup icing and remaining layer, ending
with cake layer. Spread remaining icing over sides and top of cake. Garnish
with lemon rind, if desired. |
