What you will need
°5 large eggs (separated)
°1 teaspoon baking soda
°2 cups / 9 ounces
°all purpose flour)
°1 stick (4 ounces) butter (softened)
°1/2 cup shortening
°2 cups sugar (granulated)
°1 cup buttermilk
°1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
°1 c coconut
°1 cup pecans or walnuts (chopped, divided)
+Icing:
°1 package of 8 ounces
°cream cheese (softened)
°1 stick (4 oz) butter
°1 box (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar (about 3 3/4 cups unsifted)
°1 teaspoon vanilla
°1 to 2 t milk or cream
+Topping: 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts (chopped)
*How to do it
Heat oven to 350 F. Butter & flour three 8-inch cake pans.
Separate the five eggs, placing the egg whites in a stainless steel or glass bowl. Beating egg whites to stiff peaks form; put aside.
Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl; Mix well and set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat 1 stick of butter and shorten until fluffy; add granulated sugar and cream with butter mixture until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat well.
Adding flour & soda mixture to cream mix alternately with buttermilk. *
Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla.
Add the 1 cup coconut and 1 cup chopped walnuts.
Incorporate the egg whites.
Pour into 3 prepared cake pans; bake in preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Icing
Beat cream cheese with 1 stick of butter until smooth; beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. If the frosting is very firm, beat in small amounts of cream or milk to obtain a good consistency.
Spread over cake layers, then top with 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup coconut, as desired. See below for toasting instructions.
*To alternate between dry ingredients and buttermilk, mix in one-third of the flour, then one-half of the buttermilk. Mix in another third of the flour and the rest of the buttermilk. Add the remaining flour and mix well.
