This cake is one of Justin’s favorites.  His grandmother makes it all the time and he requested it last week for his birthday.  That was a tall order and I really felt like it was way out of my league!  I pulled it off, but it was a little lopsided because the cakes fell apart when I was taking them out of the pans (yeah… I kind of used the icing to piece it back together… a real novice maneuver).  That has never happened to me before and I’ve made lots of cakes!  Anyway, he said it tasted right and I also thought it was pretty good, even though I don’t care for pecans.  What you see below is straight from Grandma in the heart of Dixie.   

Ingredients for Cake:
1 Stick of butter or margarine
1C shortening
2C sugar
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites (stiffly beaten)
2C flour
1t baking soda
1C buttermilk
1t vanilla
8oz coconut flakes
1C chopped nuts (pecans preferred)

Directions:
Cream shortening and margarine.  Add sugar and beat until smooth.  Add egg yolks and beat well.  Combine flour and soda in a separate bowl.  Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Add vanilla, coconut, and nuts.  Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites.  Bake in two or three 9″ greased and floured pans at 350 for 30 minutes, or until toothpicks come out clean.

Ingredients for Icing:
1 8oz package of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 stick of butter or margarine (softened)
1t vanilla
1 one-pound box of confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (same as used in cake)
4oz coconut

Directions:
Beat above ingredients together well.

 

Good luck – it’s pretty complicated, but it’s really good in the end!