Cake:
½ C butter or margarine
1 C sugar
4 egg yolks
¾ C milk
1 TSP vanilla
2 C cake flour
3 TSP baking powder
1 TSP salt
Meringue:
4 egg whites
1 C sugar
1 C pecans (finely chopped)
1 OZ unsweetened baking chocolate (grated)
Temperature: 325
Beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar until the mixture stands in stiff peaks. Stir in the nuts and chocolate. Grease and flour the sides of a 9″ or 10″ tube pan and line the bottom with parchment. Spread the meringue evenly on the bottom and ¾ of the way up the sides.
Cream the butter with the sugar then add the egg yolks one at a time. Mix in the milk and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients together then add to the creamed mix alternately with the milk. Pour carefully into the meringue lined tube pan. Bake for 65-75 minutes. Allow to cool for ½ hour before gently loosening sides with a knife and turning out onto a serving plate. Garnish the edge with pecan halves which have been half dipped in sweet or semi-sweet melted chocolate.