Southern Living
Inspired by the iconic Southern layer cake that bears the same name, these Lane Cupcakes will take you on a nostalgic trip to vintage cake heaven. The Lane Cake has been around for more than 100 years, and with good reason. First published in Emma Rylander Lane’s self-published cookbook Some Good Things to Eat, her Prize Cake, which would later carry her name as the Lane Cake, sealed its fame with a mention in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Like many Southern recipes, the Lane cake has a splash of bourbon, which Scout referred to in the book as “shinny.” Lane Cake made its first appearance in Southern Living in March 1966, our second issue ever, and we’ve recreated it over the years with delicious results each time. Because there’s not always time to decorate a layer cake, this cupcake recipe is to the rescue. These cupcakes are filled with all the flavor you love from the classic Lane Cake with half the effort. Instead of fooling with cake layers, these cupcakes are topped with luscious white frosting and a dollop of cake filling. A bright maraschino cherry on top makes for festive presentation. This recipe makes 24 cupcakes, so there will be plenty to go around for the lucky crowd that gets to enjoy them. This storied Southern cake can never be replaced in our book, but it’s nice to have a quick, easy cupcake version of it to turn to when we don’t have time for layer cake assembly.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray.
Step 2
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix milk, vanilla, almond extract, and egg whites in a small bowl. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Beat at low speed 1 minute. Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.
Step 3
Bake at 350°F for 25 to 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Brush bourbon over cupcakes. Cool completely (about 45 minutes).
Step 4
Mix coconut-pecan frosting and raisins in a medium bowl. Spread white frosting evenly over cupcakes. Make slight indentation in frosting in center of each cupcake; spoon about 1 tsp. coconut-pecan frosting mixture in each indentation. Top each with a cherry.
