Italian Creme Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening, softened
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (1 lb) box confectioners' sugar

Recipe

• 1 make cake layers:.
• 2 preheat oven to 375°f and lightly butter and flour three 9-by 2-inch round cake pans, knocking out any excess flour.
• 3 in a bowl with an electric mixer beat together sugar, shortening, and margarine until light and fluffy.
• 4 add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 5 into another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
• 6 beat flour mixture into egg mixture in 2 batches alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until combined.
• 7 beat in vanilla, coconut, and chopped pecans.
• 8 beat egg whites in another bowl until they just hold stiff peaks and fold into batter gently but thoroughly.
• 9 divide batter among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper two thirds of oven, switching position of pans in oven halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• 10 cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely.
• 11 make frosting:.
• 12 in a bowl with an electric mixer beat together cream cheese, margarine, and vanilla until smooth.
• 13 gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, beating until creamy.
• 14 stack cake layers on a cake plate, spreading about 1/2 cup frosting between each layer.
• 15 spread remaining frosting on top and side of cake.