Coventry Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 c. lard or shortening
2 c. light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, separated
2 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
15 pecan halves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0.
Grease and flour 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish.
In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, mix lard, 1 cup packed brown sugar and egg yolks until blended.
Reduce speed to low; beat in flour, buttermilk, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg and cloves until blended.
Spoon into baking dish.
In small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually sprinkle in 1 cup packed brown sugar until sugar dissolves.
Spread meringue over unbaked cake batter, covering top completely.
Arrange pecan halves in 3 rows of 5 pecans each.
Bake cake 40 to 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan on wire rack.