By CARLA MORRICAL-FREDERKING

Special to The Hays Daily News

I hope you all had a chance to see the 4-H exhibits at the Ellis County Fair. For the next few weeks, we will highlight the winning recipes from the 4-H foods judging. The following recipe is for pecan pie cake, which won senior champion foods. It was exhibited by Danielle Weber of the Ellis Sunflowers 4-H Club.

Pecan pie cake

¬½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

3 cups pecans, toasted and finely chopped, divided

¬½ cup shortening

2 cups sugar

5 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup dark corn syrup

Filling

1âÑ3 cup cornstarch

1âÑ8 teaspoon salt

4 egg yolks

¬½ cup brown sugar

1 ¬½ cups half and half

¾ cup dark corn syrup

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream cheese frosting

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

¬½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¬½ teaspoon vanilla

¬½ teaspoon maple flavoring

6 cups confectioners' sugar

Pastry garnish

¾ cup all purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough

2 tablespoons shortening

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1âÑ8 cup milk

¼ teaspoons salt

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter three 8-by-2 inch round cake pans, dust lightly with flour, shaking to coat bottoms and sides of pans. Layer 2 cups of the pecans into bottoms of pans.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening until fluffy. Gradually add sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating at low speed until well blended. Stir in remaining 1 cup pecans.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining egg whites.

Pour batter into pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks lined with waxed paper. Brush tops and sides with corn syrup. Cool completely.

To make filling: Combine cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, brown sugar, half and half, and corn syrup in a heavy pan; stir until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously; boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Cover with waxed paper, setting it directly on surface of custard. Chill for four hours.

To make cream cheese frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and maple flavoring until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until fluffy.

To make pastry garnish: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place flour in a small mixing bowl. Cut in shortening and butter. Add milk and salt. Mix until dough forms into a ball. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 10 to 12 leaves, using a cookie cutter or a knife; score leaf veins using the tip of a knife. Place leaves on a baking sheet. For rounded leaves, roll pieces of aluminum foil into half-inch balls and drape pastry over them for baking. Mix eggs and water to make a wash; brush mixture onto each leaf. Bake for six minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

To assemble cake: Place one cake layer on plate, pecan side up. Spread half of filling over top. Add second layer, pecan side up, and spread with remaining filling. Top with third layer. Frost sides and top of cake with cream cheese Frosting; frosting also can be piped onto cake. Garnish with pastry leaves. Makes one three-layer cake.

Carla Morrical-Frederking is the Ellis County Research and Extension agent for family and consumer science.