Old-fashioned Lane Cake is a classic Southern cake layered with a boozy pecan and coconut filling and covered in a fluffy 7-minute icing.
It’s the state cake of Alabama, and it’s so delicious! Well worth the time and care needed to make it.
What is Lane Cake
An old-fashioned recipe that dates back to a cookbook from 1898, Lane Cake, aka Prize Cake, aka Alabama Lane Cake, is a Southern American classic!
Generally a 3 or 4-layer sponge cake, Lane cake is layered with a boozy, hearty filling made of pecans, raisins, coconut, and bourbon. The creator of this recipe, Emma Rylander Lane, won the top prize at the Columbus County Fair.
Many variations of this recipe exist, as home cooks throughout the South have put their own twist on it over the years.
Alcohol-laced Lane Cakes are made for celebrations and are for many a Christmastime tradition.
To show how popular this cake was and is, Lane cake was mentioned multiple times in Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, and was voted in as the official state cake of Alabama.
Not many states have an official state dessert, but if you’re curious, Maine’s state dessert is blueberry pie, and pecan pie is the state pie of Texas!
Lane Cake Recipe Highlights
- A Classic Vintage Recipe – Everything that is old becomes new again, and Lane cake should definitely be your next vintage baking adventure!
- Bourbon Spiked – The filling for this cake is flavored with a good splash of bourbon, and other variations are made with wine, whiskey, or brandy. The liquor makes it a cake perfect for parties.
- Impressive to Serve – This is not necessarily an easy cake to prepare. The soft sponge cake takes precision and 7 minute frosting takes patience to get just right. Ultimately, you’ll feel so proud of what you’ve created, and your guests will ooo and ahh over the gorgeous layer cake you’re serving them.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to collect in order to make this Lane cake. None of the ingredients are too fancy! The full list of ingredients is in the recipe card below, but I’ll explain some of the most important ones here.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cake Flour: This specialty flour is made from “soft wheat”, which means that it has less gluten than all-purpose flour, yielding a more delicate and fluffy cake.
- Eggs: For the cake and the frosting you will need a total of 10 eggs. 2 egg whites are for the frosting, 8 egg whites are for the sponge cake, and 8 egg yolks make the filling rich and thick.
- Butter: Unsalted butter gives the cake and the filling a rich, buttery flavor. Be sure to let your butter fully soften to room temperature before you start mixing the cake batter.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar to give the cake layers the perfect amount of sweetness, and light brown sugar to make the filling sticky, caramel-y and sweet.
- Bourbon: Adds a boozy kick!
- Raisins, candied cherries, pecans, and sweetened shredded coconut: All of the perfect ingredients for the filling! Be sure to pick up candied cherries rather than maraschino cherries. They’re often near the nuts, or in the produce section during holiday season.
- Corn Syrup: Light Karo syrup is a key ingredient in 7-minute frosting, and helps to sweeten it and make it soft and shiny.
How To Make a Lane Cake
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C).
To Make the Sponge Cake
Tip!
This recipe works best using an electric stand mixer. If you only have one bowl for the mixer, move the whipped egg whites to another bowl, clean and dry the mixer bowl, and then mix up the batter.
To Make Lane Cake Filling and 7-Minute Frosting
Recipe Tips
- Prepare your Pans: To keep the cakes from sticking, grease and then flour the cake pans well before adding the batter. If done right, the cakes will pop right out!
- Whipping the Eggs. For the cake, you need to whip the egg whites until soft, curved peaks form. For the frosting, the egg whites need to be whipped until stiff, pointy peaks. Be sure that your bowl and mixer are free from any oils.
- Chilling is Important. The pecan walnut filling needs time to cool down and set so that the layer cake stays together. I like to assemble the cake, then put it in the fridge for a while before adding the frosting.
- Use a Thermometer. A candy thermometer will make it easy to tell when the sugar mixture is at the perfect temperature.
- 7 Minute Frosting. It might take 7 minutes, or it might take a few more! Whip until it’s smooth and shiny.
How to Store Lane Cake
Leftover cake can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days. For best flavor and texture, let the refrigerated cake sit out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before serving.
Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped with plastic and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More Old Fashioned Desserts to Try
- Old Fashioned Rice Pudding
- Custard Pie
- Fantasy Fudge
- Mayonnaise Cake
- Church Window Cookies
- Italian Cream Cake
- Hummingbird Cake
Recipe FAQs
Can I make lane cake without alcohol?
For an alcohol free lane cake, replace the bourbon with apple juice!
Can I make this with all-purpose flour rather than cake flour?
I recommend using cake flour for this recipe. All-purpose flour is too heavy, and will stop the cakes from rising fully.
Can I use a different type of frosting?
This Swiss Meringue style frosting is ideal for the tender cake, but if you’d prefer to make a vanilla buttercream, that would work as well!
Give this old-fashioned Lane Cake Recipe a try! Alabama cake is a delicious, vintage cake recipe that is super impressive. Pin it to make it later!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Lane Cake
Equipment
- Electric Hand mixer or Stand mixer
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups (360 g) cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 large egg whites
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Filling
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter
- 8 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (60 ml) bourbon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup candied cherries roughly chopped
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting:
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ¼ cup (60 ml) corn syrup
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C if using a fan oven. Grease and flour three 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pans and set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric whisk or beaters until stiff peaks form; set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add half the flour and mix, then half the milk and stir to combine. Repeat until all flour and milk have been added.
- Gently fold in the whipped egg whites, being sure not to deflate them too much in the process. Finally, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Evenly divide the cake batter into the 3 prepared cake pans, then bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Filling:
- In a medium saucepan, add the egg yolks, butter, and brown sugar.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is hot and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon but not boiling.
- Remove from heat, and stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract.
- Add the raisins, coconut, cherries, and pecans and stir again.
- Allow to cool for 20 minutes before spreading between layers and on top of the cool cake.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before frosting to make it easier.
Frosting:
- In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, water, and corn syrup and bring to a boil.
- Cook until the mixture is 138°F (59°C) on a candy thermometer.
- Meanwhile, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Slowly and carefully pour the boiling sugar into the egg whites while the mixer is running at a low speed.
- Turn the mixer back up to a high speed and whip until the frosting is thick, white and, and it has cooled so that you can touch the sides of the mixing bowl comfortably. This will take about 8 minutes.
- Spread the frosting onto the sides of the cooled cake and allow it to set for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes:
- Prepare your Pans: To keep the cakes from sticking, grease and then flour the cake pans well before adding the batter. If done right, the cakes will pop right out!
- Whipping the Eggs. For the cake, you need to whip the egg whites until soft, curved peaks form. For the frosting, the egg whites need to be whipped until stiff, pointy peaks. Be sure that your bowl and mixer are free from any oils.
- Chilling is Important. The pecan walnut filling needs time to cool down and set so that the layer cake stays together. I like to assemble the cake, then put it in the fridge for a while before adding the frosting.
- Use a Thermometer. A candy thermometer will make it easy to tell when the sugar mixture is at the perfect temperature.
- 7 Minute Frosting. It might take 7 minutes, or it might take a few more! Whip until it’s smooth and shiny.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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