Grandpa's Cake

This was my Grandpa Thurston's favorite cake, and I always asked my mom to make it on my birthday. It's a very decadent white cake that is best with homemade chocolate frosting. Really, it melts in your mouth. It's a bit of work, but very worth it.
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2/3 cup Shortening (solid coconut oil works too, but the cake will be much denser, I recommend shortening)
1 1/2 cups White Sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups Flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups Milk
5 egg whites
1/4 cup white sugar
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(Let the egg whites sit for 30 minutes before beating them with the sugar later.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar until it is light and fluffy.
Beat in the vanilla and almond extract.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and add it to the mixture alternately with milk.
Now you'll use those egg whites. Beat the egg whites with 1/4 cup sugar until stiff and fold it into the batter.
Divide into two greased 9" round baking pans. (It's best if you line the bottom with wax paper cut to size.) Bake at 350 degrees and check after 20 minutes.
Once cooled, frost with chocolate frosting.

It actually tastes even better the next day, so let it sit covered over night if you can wait.