Wedding Cake

Grandma New's recipe.  Grandma Ethel made this cake for Shirley, Diana and Junior's weddings.  Very special!

Ingredients

CAKE
4 1/2 C	sifted Softasilk flour
3 C	sugar
2 1/3 T	baking powder
2 t	salt
1 C	soft shortening
1 t	almond flavoring
1 t	vanilla flavoring
2 C	milk
8	egg whites (1 to 1 1/3 cups) unbeaten
ROYAL ICING
1 C	solid shortening
1 3/4 lb	powdered sugar
1/4 C	milk
2 T	clear vanilla

Preparation

Directions for Cake:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Grease generously and flour 3 round layer pans; one 12", one 9" one 6" at least 1 1/2" deep.
3.  Sift dry ingredients into mixing bowl. 
4. Add shortening, flavorings, 1 1/3 C milk. 
5. Beat 2 1/2 minutes on med speed.  Scrape bottom and sides of bowl constantly. 
6. Add 2/3 C milk, egg whites. 
7. Beat 2 1/2 more minutes.  (To keep layers level while baking, wrap sides of pans with wet towel before baking.) 
8. Pour a little over half of batter into 12" pan and place in center of oven. 
9. Pour remaining batter into other pans. 
10. Refrigerate these layers until 12" cake is baked. 
11. Then place 9" layer near rear of oven and 6" layer near front.

1. Bake 12" layer 30 - 40 min, 9" layer 30 - 35 min, 6" layer 25 - 30 min. 
2. Serves about 70. (Continued)

1. While each layer is still slightly warm, spread with a thin coating of icing to keep crumbs from getting into final frosting and to help keep cake moist. 
2. Do not put layers together until completely cool. 
3. Frost with Royal Icing.

 Directions for Royal Icing:

1. The shortening and sugar are creamed together at high speed for 5 minutes. 
2. Enough milk is added to thin it to a desired spreading consistency. 
3. Many batches of this may be needed to frost the wedding cake.