Butternut Cake

Cake:
1 cup shortening or butter
3 cups plain flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup self-rising flour
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Icing:
1 stick margarine, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. butternut flavoring
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch roundcake pans.

Beat sugar and shortening for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup flour and beat 1 minute longer. Add eggs and the rest of the flour alternately with milk and beat until creamy. Add vanilla. Bake for approximately 35 minutes.

To make the icing, blend margarine, cream cheese, flavoring and confectioners' sugar. Stir in nuts. Spread over cooled cake.
Serves how many: 10 to 12 Butternut Spice Cake

1/2 cup finely chopped butternuts
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch tube pan. Sprinkle the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan evenly with finely chopped butternuts (pecans or walnuts).

Sift together cake flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Cream the butter. Blend in lightly packed brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in the finely chopped butternuts or pecans or walnuts.

Put gently into baking pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until cake springs back when you touch it lightly. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Put on cake rack to cool completely. Leave upside down and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar over cake before serving.