Homemade Recipes

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening

4 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg whites

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 heaping cup unsweetened coconut

1 heaping cup chopped pecans

Frosting

1(8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut milk (optional)

Extra chopped pecans and coconut

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans.

To prepare cake, combine soda and buttermilk in small bowl and set aside.

Combine sugar, butter, oil and shortening in large mixing bowl. Beat with a mixture at medium-high speed until creamy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add buttermilk mixture alternately with flour to creamed mixture; beat well. Stir in vanilla.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter; quickly fold in remaining whites. Stir in pecans and coconut. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

To make frosting, beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar. Shake can of coconut milk well before opening and slowly pour in small amounts of milk to taste (optional), until frosting reaches the desired consistency. Adjust any frosting ingredients to consistency and taste needed.

To assemble cake, place one layer on a plate. Spread frosting on top. Refrigerate

minutes until frosting is firm. Repeat with second and third layers, spread frosting on top and sides of cake.

For garnish, toast chopped pecans and coconut 8 minutes in 350Foven, until coconut is golden brown, stirring often so coconut does not burn. Let cool. Stir mixture and pat onto sides of the cake. Take any remaining frosting or make an additional half of the frosting recipe to pipe extra around perimeter of cake. Refrigerate cake to ensure firming of layers and frosting. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.