Source  Southern Living

Recipe Added:  1/29/2015

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, beating until blended. Combine flour and soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in coconut. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, and fold into batter. Grease and dust 3 9" round cake pans with powdered sugar, then pour in batter.

Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with additional pecans.

Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting Toast chopped pecans in a shallow baking pan at 350°, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until toasted. Cool. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat frosting at high speed until smooth; stir in pecans.

May add chopped pecans to cake batter and not to frosting.

1. http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/italian-cream-cake-2

2. http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/nutty-cream-cheese-frosting