"ITALIAN CREME CAKE"

Hey...this is the night you do take-outs or left-overs. This cake is so moist and delicious and a great dessert for entertaining even on "game day". Recipe was shared with me "years ago" from my daughter's grade school teacher...or as she calls it "back in the day". It's been a favorite every year in our home especially on my birthday! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups flour (all purpose)
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chopped pecans (one cup in mix and one cup for decor)
1 cup coconut (shredded)
5 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup margarine
1 TB vanilla
Pre-heat oven to 325*. Line bottoms only with parchment paper and grease sides of THREE 9" cake pans. You can grease and flour pans as well. Whisk soda into buttermilk in one bowl. Set aside for about 10 minutes. Cream butter, margarine and sugar until smooth. Add egg yolks (one at a time) beat well after each one. Stir flour and salt in one bowl and add slowly into butter mixture alternating with buttermilk. Add vanilla, coconut and one cup chopped pecans. Now...beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into batter. (Fold gently with spatula into batter) Pour into cake pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes (ovens vary). Test with tooth pick or when cake springs back in center when touched. Cool on wire rack and frost with cream cheese frosting or due to the richness of this cake you can dust with powdered sugar. I recommend the cream cheese frosting :-)

Creme cheese frosting: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
In a large bowl, blend cream cheese and butter mixing well. Gradually add in the powdered sugar beating until smooth. Add vanilla and blend until smooth. Decorate cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans on top.

TWIST:  recipe makes great cupcakes as well.

TIP:  this cake freezes well. Due to the amount of layers it makes you can freeze back a layer for that rainy day dessert.
Wrap layer in parchment paper and place in a freezer bag. I've frozen cake up to two weeks myself. I'm sure it could freeze longer but we never made it that far in our family :-)

TOMORROW: "FRIDAY NIGHT PIZZA"

DESIGN TIP: this tip is more of an" Entertaining Tip"...I like to showcase my dessert on the table verses flowers when entertaining. Flowers die and they can cost alot of money... so why not invest your money into the dessert that everyone will enjoy. Purchase a decorative cake plate for the centerpiece. Show off that cake you worked hard on...you'll be happy with the remarks and you've saved some money while entertaining!