For the cake:

1 cup vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
3 egg yolks
1 ½ cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup whole milk
3 egg whites

For the icing:

3 cups maple syrup
¾ cup egg whites (should be about 5 large eggs)

Heat oven to 350° F

For the cake:

Beat vegetable shortening in a large bowl until light.  Slowly beat in sugar.  Add egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beat thoroughly after each addition.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt.  Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with three parts milk.

Beat the egg whites until stiff.  Fold gently into batter.

Pour batter into two buttered and floured 8-inch round cake pans. 

Bake cake 25 minutes or so until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

For the icing: 

Heat maple syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Boil 5 minutes. 

Beat egg whites in the large bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form.   On high speed, slowly pour in the boiled syrup in a thin stream.  Continue beating until it looks spreadable.

Generously ice bottom layer.  Place on top layer of cake.  And generously ice the top and sides until the cake almost looks like it’s cascading in icing and ready for a party.