Italian Cream Cake

"This is the best cake I've ever eaten. I worked in the library at a University which will remain nameless to protect the employee who sneaked the recipe out of Food Service and passed it around throughout the university!" Recipe submitted by Jackie Kay.

Recipe Ingredients:

Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (3.5-ounce) can flaked coconut (or about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Icing:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (1-pound) package or 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chopped pecans

Cooking Directions:

1. For Cake: Cream butter and shortening. Add sugar, beat until mixture is smooth. Add egg yolks and beat.
2. Combine flour and baking soda: add to creamed mixture, alternately with buttermilk. Stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour batter into well greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 40 to 45 minutes.
4. For Cream Cheese Icing: Beat cream cheese until smooth. In separate bowl, combine sugar and butter; mix well. Add to cream cheese. Stir in vanilla and beat until smooth. Frost cool cake in pan. Top with chopped pecans. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 12 servings.

Note: "I've also seen this cake prepared as a three layer cake. With pecans around the sides of the cake after it's frosted. Baking time may need to be adjusted. This is a delicious cake!" - J.J.