1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 c. sugar
4 lg. egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 lg. egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. chopped pecans

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and 1/3 cup of the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy; add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are frothy; add the cream of tartar and beat the whites until they begin to hold soft peaks. Add the remaining 1 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff glossy peaks.

Onto a sheet of wax paper, sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Fold 1/4 of the meringue into the butter mixture. Add the mixture to the remaining meringue and fold the mixtures together gently but thoroughly. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the batter with the pecans and fold the batter together gently but thoroughly. Spoon the batter into a buttered and floured loaf pan and bake the cake in the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until cake begins to pull away from the sides. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Yield: 12 servings.