BEA'S PINEAPPLE CAKE W/SEVEN MINUTE ICING

Steps:

• 1. CAKE: DO NOT FOLLOW CAKE BOX INGREDIENTS. Preheat oven to 350. Grease & flour three 9" cake pans. (I have also used 8" pans as well as a 9x13 sheetcake pan). Mix together the cake mix along with the buttermilk, 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks, sugar, oil and vanilla. (* Or make your own scratch cake). Mix with electric mixer on medium for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Pour into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until they test done. Leave in pans for 10 minutes then turn out.
• 2. TOPPING: Once you get your layers in the oven, pour the pineapple (juice & all) into an appropriate size saucepan. Add the 3/4 cup sugar, mix well & cook on med-low, stirrring occasionally, until layers are done. Turn burner off but leave saucepan on burner so it'll stay warm. *SEE STEP #7.
• 3. ICING: Put your water in the bottom of the double boiler and start the water boiling. In the top of a double boiler, combine the 2 remaining egg whites, the 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 TBSP syrup and 1/3 cup "cold" water. Using an electric hand mixer, beat for 2 minutes. Now place the top of double boiler into the bottom and still using the hand mixer, beat continuously for 7 to 8 minutes. The icing should be getting very stiff by now. Once you have done this for at least 7 minutes, remove from heat & add in the 1 tsp of vanilla & continue beating for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until icing is very stiff, thick and shinny.
• 4. TO ASSEMBLE: Put one cake layer on cake plate. Punch several holes into layer, pour a third of pineapple topping over layer then spread on a fourth of icing and repeat with the second layer. Place last layer on top and pour last third of topping over layer. Ice top & sides with icing. Note: make sure you have about half the icing left for the top & sides.
• 5. TIP: I was told that by cooking the pineapple will prevent it from turning the icing dark after a few hours.
• 6. IMPORTANT: this cake is better to be eaten the day of baking. The icing seems to break down the next day so please don't make this cake a day in advance. It'll be good but certainly not as pretty. Also, I recommend leftovers be kept in a cool place or refrigerated.
• 7. *PLEASE NOTE: Some cans of pineapple have more juice than others so go ahead and follow step #2 but before you put the pineapple on the layers you may want to drain the pineapple but reserve the juice in case you need to add some of the juice. You don't want it dry nor do you want it soggy so use your own judgement. You can use only one 20 oz can of pineapple but cut the sugar amount to 1/2 cup or less. You can also substitute equal amounts of Splenda for sugar.
• 8. *****BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTE:***** 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar and enough milk to equal 1 cup or whatever the amount is needed for your recipe. Stir virgorously and let stand for 5 minutes.
• 9. Either of these mixes will work just fine. Or you can make your own scratch cake.