German Butter Cake

Directions:

Prepare cake dough by mixing sugar with shortening and salt. Add egg and beat with mixer 1 minute until well-blended. Dissolve yeast in warm milk.

To batter, add flour, then milk-yeast mixture and vanilla. Mix 3 minutes with dough hook or by hand. Turn dough onto floured board; knead 1 minute. Place in lightly greased bowl, cover with towel and set in warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled.

Meanwhile prepare topping. Cream butter and stir together flour and sugar. Gradually beat sugar mixture into butter. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. By the teaspoonful, add just enough milk to bring mixture to a consistency for easy spreading over the cake, being careful not to make it too runny. Set aside.

Divide dough in two pieces. Roll or pat to fit two well-greased 8-inch square pans or a 9- by 13-inch pan. Crimp edges halfway up sides of pan to hold topping in. When dough is spread, prick dough with fork to prevent bubbling. Divide topping; spread over dough. Let cakes stand for 20 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Do no overbake. Toppings should be crusty but gooey. Let cake cool before cutting.