Italian Cream Cheese Cakes
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
11 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup butter6 cups confectioners’ sugar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Beat until just combined. Stir in coconut and pecans
Step 2
In another bowl, beat egg whites with clean beaters until stiff but not dry. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites. Pour into prepared pans Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Step 3
Beat in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in pecans. Spread frosting between layers and over top and side of cake. Store cake in the refrigerator.
