East Texas Pecan Cake

2 cups unsalted butter; room temperature
4½ cups flour; sifted
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 eggs; separated
1 pound brown sugar; firmly packed
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons instant coffee
4 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder.
3. Grease bottom of 10-inch tube pan.
4. Separate eggs; beat yolks well; beat egg whites until stiff.
5. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add beaten egg yolks, mixing well.
6. Combine milk, vanilla and coffee dissolved in 3 Tablespoons hot water. Add alternately with dry ingredients.
7. Fold in pecans and egg whites. Pour into pan.
8. Bake in preheated oven for about 1½ hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Let cool in pan on cake rack. Remove from pan.

Serves 12