Tante Flo’s Latagnier Gateau de Sirop with Cinnamon Pecan Topping

Cake:

1 cup solid vegetable shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup pure cane syrup

1 cup boiling water

1 egg

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1½ cups flour

Topping:

½ cup light brown sugar

2½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons butter (not margarine)

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Cake:

Grease and flour a 9” cake pan and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening, sugar, and syrup, then add water and stir thoroughly. Beat egg and add to mixture, blending well. In a separate bowl, mix spices, baking soda, and flour then add to cake mixture. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour into cake pan and bake 30–35 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven. Cake is done when it shrinks away from the edges of the pan. Remove from oven and set aside for 5–10 minutes while topping is prepared.

Topping:

While cake is cooling, mix together all the ingredients for topping. Spread onto slightly cooled cake and return to oven to bake until topping melts (10–12 minutes). Makes one 9-inch cake.