ITALIAN WEDDING CAKE

ITALIAN WEDDING CAKE


1 (18.25-oz.) box white cake mix
1 stick butter
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
3 egg whites
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. almond extract
1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 cups chopped pecans, divided
2 (16-oz.) cans cream cheese frosting


Preheat oven to 350^.

Lightly coat 2 (8-inch) cake pans with cooking spray, set aside. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, buttermilk, egg whites, and extracts. Beat with electric mixture on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in crushed pineapple, coconut, and 1-cup pecans. Divide batter into 2 prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 31 to 36 minutes or until tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup pecans and frosting. With a serrated knife, cut both cakes horizontally to make 4 layers. Frost the top of each layer with ½ cup frosting and stack on top of the next layer. Use remaining frosting to frost the entire cake. Slice and serve.

Yield: 12 servings.