Italian Cream Cake

1 stick butter
2 c. sugar
2 c. self rising flour
1 c. buttermilk
1 sm. can coconut
1 tsp. vanilla
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 1/2 c. Crisco
5 egg yolks
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. chopped nuts

Cream butter and Crisco, add sugar. Beat until smooth. Add egg yolks and beat well. Combine flour and soda alternately with buttermilk. Stir in vanilla. Add coconut and nuts. Fold in egg whites.

Pour into 3 pans (9 inch size) that have been greased and floured. Bake 25 minutes on 350 degrees. Ice cake with Italian Cream Cheese icing.

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE ICING:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, soften
1/2 stick butter
1 box 4X sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Chopped nuts

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix well. Add vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread on layers. Sprinkle top and sides with nuts.

Halloween Layer Cake

Cake

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

10 drops yellow food coloring

6 drops red food coloring

Frosting

3 (3 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

5 3/4 cups confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons milk

8 drops yellow food coloring

6 drops red food coloring

Glaze

3 (1 oz.) squares semisweet chocolate

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Candy corn

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until mixture reaches a light and fluffy consistency. Add in eggs, one at a time; beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture -- alternating with 1 cup of milk, until both flour mixture and milk are completely mixed in.

In a separate bowl, combine cocoa, vanilla, and 1/4 cup water. Stir in 2 cups of the cake batter. Pour this chocolate cake batter into a greased and floured 9-inch round cake pan.

Add orange extract, orange peel and food coloring to the remaining cake batter.

Pour this orange cake batter into 2 additional greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Bake cake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Let cake cool thoroughly.

Frosting

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, milk and food coloring; stir until smooth and creamy.

Place one orange cake layer on a cake plate. Frost this orange layer with 1/2 cup frosting. Add the chocolate cake layer on top. Frost chocolate layer with 1/2 cup frosting. Add the remaining orange cake layer on top and use remaining frosting to frost top and sides of cake.

Glaze

In a microwave bowl, heat chocolate squares and whipping cream for 1 1/2 minutes on HIGH, or until completely melted. Stir mixture until it reaches a smooth consistency. Let cool for 2 minutes.

Slowly pour glaze over middle of cake. Allow glaze to run down sides of cake.

Garnish with candy corn.