Mountain Home Lodge

Leavenworth, Washington

Heritage Recipe

Italian Cream Cake

This is a real show stopper for a wedding cake or special evening presentation. The unusual ingredients of buttermilk and coconut "marry" to make an unbelievably moist cake. You do not taste their separate flavors, but rather marvel at a great cake!

Cream butter, oil, and sugar until fluffy. Add yolks in 3 parts, beating after each addition. Stir baking soda into buttermilk that is in a container at least 4 times its volume. Set aside.

Add sifted flour into batter, alternating with buttermilk. Add vanilla, coconut, and nuts. Dust the nuts with flour before adding so they do not settle at the bottom.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Pour into prepared pans that have been greased and lined with parchment. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.

Cool and frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting. You can flavor the frosting with coffee if desired. Do not keep this cake out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours.

Makes: One 3-tier, double layer 6-8-10-inch wedding cake.

• You found this recipe on 1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook. (www.virtualcities.com)