Vanilla Wafer Cake With Butter Pecan Glaze

1. Heat the oven to 325 F.

2. Generously grease and flour a tube cake pan.

3. Process the vanilla wafers in the food processor until the crumbs are fine or put them in a plastic food storage bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Chop the pecans finely by hand or throw them into the food processor with the crumbs and pulse a few more times.

4. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream ​the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend well after each addition.

5. Add half of the finely crushed vanilla wafers and blend well. Add the nuts, coconut, milk, and remaining vanilla wafer crumbs. Beat until blended.

6. Spoon the batter into a greased and floured tube cake pan.

7. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

8. Leave the cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes to cool slightly; invert onto a cake plate.

Optional Butter Pecan Glaze

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the milk and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the glaze mixture for 5 minutes. Stir the 1/2 cup of chopped pecans into the glaze mixture and then remove it from the heat. 

2. Let the glaze cool slightly and then spoon it over the cooled cake.

3. Store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator or freeze slices for later.