Sour Cream Spice Cake

First, I would like to thank Rebecca for coming over to visit me and take some photos with her SLR. As you can see below, they are great! The last picture, of the frosted cake, comes from my little point and shoot.

On to the cake... an old Amish Cooking cookbook was sitting beside the computer this afternoon so I decided to open it up and look through. When I saw two containers of sour cream in the fridge this morning, I thought using it up in a Sour Cream Spice Cake would be delightful. (Pathway Publishing Corporation, 1977)

1/2 cup cup shortening

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon allspice

1 3/4 cups flour sifted with 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening and sugar; add egg yolks. Add flour, soda and spices. Add sour cream and beat well. Add vanilla and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in 2 greased 8-inch layer pans for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Another thank you to Bec's mom, Alice, for this egg separator! It is so cute and it worked great!

The egg yolks just added to the sugar and shortening.

Adding the sour cream.

A cake is cooling on the opened window sill.

I used a butter cream frosting that really didn't turn - a stick of butter, approx. 4 cups powdered sugar, pinch salt, tsp. vanilla and 1/2 cup milk. I think I added too much milk. I would recommend using your favorite fluffy, white frosting.

However, the cake tasted great! It was moist and the frosting tasted better once it was on the cake - it turned out to be more of a glaze than a frosting. My parents said the cake reminded them of gingerbread.

The recipe makes 2 round cakes for a layer cake but I gave the other cake to Bec.

Bec took this photo of Chester so I had to add it!