"CRADLE CAKE" FOR BABY JESUS BIRTHDAY

Provided by Nancy J. Patrykus @Finnjin

Categories Cakes

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 tablespoon(s) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
4 - eggs, separated
1 cup(s) pecans or walnuts very finely chopped
1 - sq. (1 ounc) unsweetened chocolate grated
1/2 cup(s) butter softened
3/4 cup(s) milk
2 - squares (i oz. each) semisweet chocolate, melted with 3 table spoons ofwater. for garanish
8 - whole pecans or half walnut for garnish on top
2 cup(s) sugar, divided in half
- the sugar and flour amounts ..should have been in the ingredient beginning.
2 cup(s) flour

Steps:

Grease a 10 inch tube pan. Line the bottom with waxed paper. Set aside. Stir together flour, baking powder,and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl beat egg whites till peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar until stiff, glossy and peaks form. Fold in very finely chopped nuts, and grated chocolate.
Spread this mixture on the bottom and up three quarters of pan as though lining it. In a large bowl cream butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour mixture alternately with milk until well blended.
Pour cake mixture into pan, making sure it is surrounded by meringue on all sides and lower than the top of meringue!
Bake in a pre-heated 325 oven 65-75 minutes. Or until a pick stuck in the middle comes out clean..Do not invert cooked cake pan. Cool on a rack 25 minutes. Or until sides of cake can be loosened easily, with a spatula. Turn out on a serving plate. Decorate cake like you see in the picture. At my home we sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus... A Merry Christmas to you and yours!.. Nancy 11/12/11