1/4 lb. white chocolate
1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. buttermilk
4 egg whites
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. flaked coconut

Melt chocolate in 1/2 cup boiling water. Set aside to cool. Cream together butter and sugar until mixture is fluffy. Mix in egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and vanilla.

Sift together cake flour and soda and add to creamed mixture with buttermilk. Do not overmix at this point. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in. Gently stir in pecans and coconut. Pour into three greased and floured nine inch layer cake pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cake tests done. Turn out, cool and frost as desired.

ICING:

1 box powdered sugar
1/2 c. Crisco
1 stick butter
2 or 3 egg whites, slightly beaten
1/2 c. pecans, chopped