Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Icing:
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 box powdered sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 cup pecans
• 2 cups coconut

Directions

Cake:
Mix dry ingredients with liquids. Separate eggs; add yolks one at a time. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter. Bake in three 9-inch pans at 300 degrees for 40 minutes.

Icing:
Beat first four ingredients together, stir in pecans and coconut. Do not frost until cake is completely cool, or icing will melt.