Cake Recipe

I've gotten some requests for the recipe for the Valentine's Day Cake (Posted below).  The hardest part is the icing.  Actually, it just requires patience, which I seem to run out of sometimes.

Cake:
2 c. Flour
1 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 c. Unsweetened Cocoa
1 c. Hot Water
1 c. Miracle Whip (any mayo, but we've always used Miracle Whip)

Sift the dry ingrediants together.  Stir the hot water into the Miracle Whip.  Add to dry ingrediants and mix well.  Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans.  Divide the cake batter evenly between the two pans.  Bake at 350* for 30 minutes.

Boiled Icing:
1/3 c. Water
1 c. Granulated Sugar
1 tsp. Corn Syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
2 egg shites
1 tsp. Vanilla
2-3 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar

Combine the water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil without stirring.  Continue boiling until the mixture "spins" when dropped from a spoon.  (This usually takes 7-8 minutes if you keep the heat on high and continue stiring once the mixture comes to a boil.)  It is important that this happens or the icing won't set up right.
Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff but slightly moist.  Continue beating and drizzle the sugar mixture in slowly.  Add the vanilla.   Beat on high for anoother 1-2 minutes.  If this icing is not stiff, add powdered sugar 1 TB at a time and beat on high for 1-2 minutes. 

When I ice the cake, I add crushed peppermint candies between the layers.  Before I add the candies on the top, I use the spatula to "spike" the icing up.  A flat top for the cake works best because the icing will start to slide off the cake after a couple days.  (So eat up quickly!)