Cake Contest

It is Labor Day Weekend and that means it's time for the cake contest at the Ashe County Farmer's Market.  Last year I lost out to the Kentucky Bourbon Poundcake, so I knew I had to do something special this year.   I dug out my Betty Crocker cook book and found an Italian Cream Cake recipe that I had made once before.

After a fast trip to the grocery store, I was ready to start creating.  The recipe is not an easy one, there are 5 eggs to separate and buttermilk to churn.  Of course,  no cake is complete until there is flour on every service of the kitchen.  This a three layer cake, so that meant moving pans around in the oven so they would cook evenly. After the layers cooled, I frosted them with cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans.  When I couldn't figure out how to put the nuts on the sides of the cake I just threw small handfuls and they stuck wherever they landed.

Saturday morning I delivered my cake to the farmer's market and I was the first to enter.  I left it with three teenagers and did some shopping.  45 minutes later there were two more entries.  One of the teenagers said they were made by the same person, her mom.  I threw my hands up in the air and thought  my chances were over and I hightailed it home.

Much to my surprise, I got a call a few hours later telling me I was the winner.  Out of five entries, everyone liked mine the best!  I am going to get my name in the paper and bragging rights for the rest of the year.

Italian Cream Cake

1 cup butter                                                          1 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar                                                         1 t. vanilla
5 lg eggs, separated, room temp                           1 cup coconut
2 cups all purpose flour                                        1/2 cup pecans
1 t. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour three 8 or 9 inch pans.  In medium bowl combine flour and baking soda; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg yolks and vanilla, mixing well.  Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Fold in coconut and pecans.

Thoroughly wash beaters.  In medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold in 1/3 of the eggs whites into cake batter to lighten.  Fold in remaining whites.  Spread evenly in pans.

Bake the three 9 inch pans 25 minutes and a the 8 inch pans 35 minutes.  Cool in pans 10 minutes, remove cake layers and cool thoroughly on wire racks.

Frost and eat your cake knowing that you have made a winner.

Ital