Italian Cream Cake - Better Homes & Garden Cookbook

5 eggs
1/2 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe to follow)
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Separate eggs. Allow egg yolks, egg whites, and butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour three 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans; set pans aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350. In an extra-large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until well combined. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; beat on medium speed until combined. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating, on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in coconut and the 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans.

Thoroughly wash the beaters. In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold about 1/3 of the egg whites into cake batter to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pans.

Bake about 25 minutes for 9-inch pans, about 35 minutes for 8 inch pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.

Place on cake layers, bottom side up, on serving plate. Spread with about 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans. Top with second cake layer, rounded (top) side up. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 1/4 cup nuts. Place remaining cake layer on top, rounded side up; spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Press remaining nuts into frosting around side of cake. Store cake in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Makes 16 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 1/2 - 6 cups powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency.