Butter Pecan Cake (White Chocolate Layers)

Recipe adapted from Christmas with Southern Living 2005. It's a cake, therefore it's sweet. ;-)

• Ready In: 57 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• Butter-Pecan Frosting

• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1⁄4 cups  coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 16  ounces powdered sugar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract

• White Chocolate Cake

• 6  ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup boiling water
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 4  large eggs, separated
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 3  cups  sifted cake flour

• Garnish

•  toasted pecan halves

Directions

1. To make the frosting:
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add pecans and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until toasted – about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
3. Beat cream cheese (11 ounces total) and 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in buttered pecans and vanilla. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
4. To make the cake: Place white chocolate in a bowl. Pour boiling water over white chocolate; stir until smooth. Set aside and let cool.
5. In the meantime, grease 3 (9") round cakepans; line with wax paper. Set aside. (See recipe #452719).
6. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating after each addition until blended. Stir in white chocolate and vanilla.
7. Combine buttermilk and soda. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix at low speed after each addition until blended.
8. Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.
9. Bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
10. Spread Butter-Pecan Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired. Store cake in refrigerator.