Italian Cream Cake

By Eboyle

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature.
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans
• ICING
• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 stick butter or margarine
• 1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanillaa
• Toasted chopped pecans (optional)
• Coconut (optional)

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

FOR CAKE

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and shortening; add sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in egg yolks and vanilla. Sift together flour and soda. Add alternately with buttermilk to sugar mixture. Stir in coconut and pecans.

Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into battter. Pour into 3 greased 8-inch round cake pans.

Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from pans and cool completely before icing

FOR ICING

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until very smooth. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle the top with chopped pecans or coconut, if desired.

NOTE:

Doubling this icing recipe if you like icing.