CAKE!

I give you cake:


Ingredients for the Italian Creme Cake: Yes, that is actually shortening in that measuring cup. Shortening AND butter. At least I'm using a lower fat buttermilk.




Next up we see just how old my hand mixer is: Circa 1970ish. I think I swiped it from The German when I ran away from home. While I used the Kitchen Aide to mix the batter, I was enormously lazy and didn't want to clean it out to mix the egg whites. So BOOM! old hand mixer to the rescue.




The batter was golden from the 5 eggs. The properly beaten egg whites are ready to be gently folded into the batter.




Oh my. And yes, I defied death and licked every spatula (2), beater (3) and bowl (1). Husband waltzed in 30 minutes later hoping to catch some spoonful for himself. He was too late. I told him I ate it all to save him from any possible gastrointestinal mayhem. I look out for him like that.




In the three cake pans it went.




Again with the lazy. Tilt your head.




The perfectly baked round with the eye-rolling, slap your momma, lusty-noise making, foot stomping icing as filling.




Could it be any more perfect?! It's like I knew what I was doing.




Done! I could have run a warm knife along the sides to smooth it out, aesthetics and all, but I like the icing like this. More character, like me. Plus, there was the whole lazy theme that begged for continuity.




The cake is fantastically moist, yet holds decidedly together. The not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting is combined with chopped with-my-own-hands and toasted pecans. The melding of these elements makes for a cake fit for The Summer of Cake.



Happy Summer of Cake to all!