Shelly's Recipe

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Category: Cakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
5 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans

For the icing:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together in a large bowl. Add 5 egg yolks one at a time, until each is fully incorporated. Add dry ingredients, vanilla and buttermilk to butter and sugar mixture. Stir in coconut and pecans and set aside.

In another large bowl, beat 5 egg whites until stiffly beaten but not dry. Fold egg whites into cake batter by hand, being careful not to overmix. Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on rack until cool to the touch.

For the icing: In a large bowl, mix butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and slowly add powdered sugar, half a cup at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost and fill the layers with icing.