Cream Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• one teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• one teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 eggs, separated, room temperature
• one cup buttermilk or one cup heavy cream (Add 1 teaspoon vinegar to one cup regular milk and let sit for 5 mins if you do not have buttermilk)
• one cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (I used 1/4 cup)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1-8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened to room temp.
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temp
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

1. Grease (3) 8″ cake pans OR 9″ cake pans, set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour and baking soda, whisk together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer or using a stand mixer, cream together shortening and butter until smooth. Add sugar, beat until smooth. Add egg yolks, then vanilla. Alternating buttermilk (or cream) and flour mixture, add each until all is combined. I divide it into about 3 additions each.
3. Place cake batter into another bowl, clean your stand mixer bowl. Using a whisk attachment, whisk egg white until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter until smooth. Divide batter between the 3 pans and bake for about 25 minutes for 9″ pans, and about 35 minutes for 8″ pans. Cake is done when toothpick comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and place pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and place directly onto wire racks until cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Using a stand mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla, then gradually add powdered sugar ONE cup at a time. Make sure that you�re beating it thoroughly between cups, so there will not be lumps.

Assembly

1. Take one cake, place it bottom-side UP on a serving plate. Spread about 1/2 cup frosting across cake. Place next layer of cake bottom side UP on top of that and repeat process.
2. Cover top and sides of the cake well with frosting, sprinkle with coconut flakes and pecans pieces if desired.