Minnehaha Cake

Cake
4 eggs, separated
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups sifted flour
1 cup milk
3 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy; then beat in egg yolks. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture. Add baking powder and salt with the last addition of flour. Fold in almond extract and egg whites. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes in 2 greased and floured 8-inch square cake pans. Cool and remove from pans.

Filling
1 cup raisins, puffed and chopped
1 cup grated coconut, divided
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 recipe Seven Minute Icing

Make one recipe Seven Minute Icing. Puff raisins by steaming in a colander 2 hours. Reserve 1/2 cup coconut; mix all other filling ingredients with Seven Minute Icing. Use filling between layers and on top of cooled cake. Ice top and sides of cake with a second recipe of Seven Minute Icing and sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup coconut on top. Cake is better if prepared the day before.

Seven Minute Icing
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place ingredients except vanilla extract in top of double boiler and beat until thoroughly blended. Place over rapidly boiling water. Beat constantly with rotary beater for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Continue beating until mixture reaches spreading consistency.