2 1/4 c. sugar
3 1/2 c. flour, sifted
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 c. chopped black walnuts
1 1/4 c. butter - for lighter cake substitute butter
1 1/4 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
5 eggs

Sift the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Cream the butter and add the eggs. Beat all of the dry ingredients (except the black walnuts) and all of the liquid ingredients. Add half of the sifted dry ingredients, add half of the milk, add the remaining sifted dry ingredients, add the rest of the milk and the vanilla. Beat until smooth. Flour 1 1/2 cups of the chopped black walnuts and add to the batter; mix well.

Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. Make sure you put equal amounts of batter in each pan as this recipe makes a very high cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let finish cooling on wire racks. After thoroughly cooled, frost with buttercream icing (recipe follows). Pat remaining black walnut pieces on top of frosted cake.

1/2 c. solid vegetable shortening
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. milk
5 c. confectioners sugar - 4 c. to a pound box
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (see options below)

Cream butter and shortening in electric mixer. Add extract. Gradually add in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. When all the sugar is added, the icing will appear dry. Slowly add the milk and beat at high speed until light and fluffy.