Lane Cake

Always looking for a good excuse to bake, I decided to try the Lane Cake mentioned by Calpurnia in To Kill a Mockingbird.  I offered it to my freshmen as extra credit assignment, and one of them attempted it along with me.  My fourth period feasted on it after they finished their test Friday.  One of my juniors who shares my passion for baking actually brought me the recipe from Cooks Illustrated magazine.  I love using their recipes because their testing lab ensures that you are given the best possible recipe for even simple things like mashed potatoes, biscuits, and macaroni and cheese.  I'm not normally a fan of coconut, but I liked it in this cake.  And I substituted amaretto for the bourbon, and it was quite tasty!  Sorry I can't offer you a piece; Andrew's family put away the rest of it tonight!