I didn't even know this recipe was in TKAM. I was in the 8th grade, and my grandmother was still making Lane Cakes every Christmas when I read that book! I have been looking for this recipe for years. And my father has been asking for this cake for years. I'm going to surprise him with it for his 88th birthday in a couple of weeks!

I made this a while back for my class after reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" and everybody loved it! My teacher told me after one bite "Normal people can't so this" He was practically dancing as he ate! I used Brandy instead of Bourbon, used a full cup of coconut, half a cup of raisins, and maraschino cerries. The seven-minute icing was the perfect touch! I had to fight to save two pieces for my family to try.

Takes a little time, but definitely worth it for a special occasion!

My grandmother used to make this cake at Christmas. I looked everywhere for this recipe, but could only find modernized versions. This is a very good recipe. It does take an eternity to make properly, but it's worth it. I froze my cake layers for about two hours and then removed them and filled them AND frosted them with the same filling, instead of cream frosting. I believe the original recipe used the filling to frost and fill the cake. It makes an amazing Christmas presentation. It's very difficult to make the frosting stay on the cake, but freezing the cakes and chilling the frosting for an hour or so makes it easier. I used my hands to pat the frosting on and then placed the cake in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, I removed the cake and patted more frosting on the "bald spots." I also use a half cup of brandy, instead of brandy extract. Thank you so much for the recipe! I work with a lot of southerners and they were all so excited when I brought the cake in for Christmas. Everyone loved it!

True, this cake took quite some time. However, the results were worth it! The cake had a fabulous texture, but I omited the cherries and coconut. I also took some to my English teacher while we were studying TKM, and earned 25 points in extra credit. Thanks for this great recipe!

This recipe is time consuming but well worth it. I first tried it in 9th grade when a fellow student prepared it while we were reading "To Kill a Mockingbird".