ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Makes 7 - 8 servings

Ingredients:

˝ cup butter, organic best
1 cup Sucanat 
3 eggs, separated
˝ cup buttermilk (or ˝ c. whole milk & ˝ Tbls. vinegar-let stand 5 minutes)
˝ tsp. Baking SODA
1/4 tsp salt (Real or Celtic Sea Salt)
1 cup freshly-ground whole wheat flour (use soft pastry wheat berries), fine grind
1 Tbls. vanilla extract (not flavoring)
˝ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
˝ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup quartered maraschino cherries (approx. 8) optional
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

Frosting:  Optional

1/4 cup butter, room temp
4 oz. Cream cheese, softened
˝ tsp. Vanilla extract (not flavoring)
˝ cup honey
˝ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

NOTE: recipe may be doubled. Be sure to double frosting recipe also. Instead of using frosting, fresh fruit and whipped cream may be used.

How to:

1. Cream butter, Sucanat until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg yolks and mix well.
3. Add buttermilk and vanilla alternately with flour, soda, salt. Mix well.
4. Slowly stir in coconut, nuts and cherries.
5. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff.
6. Fold into cake mixture.
7. Bake in a greased 8 x 11.5 or 9 x 12 baking pan or glass pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick placed in center comes out clean.
9. Cool 10 minutes–then remove from pan.

Frosting:

1. Mix together butter and cream cheese.
2. Add honey and vanilla. Mix well.
3. Spread over cooled cake.
4. Nuts may be sprinkled on top or mixed in frosting.