Cake:

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 pound butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs separated plus 5 more whites
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 can coconut

In large bowl cream butter, shortening: add sugar and beat well: add egg yolks, vanilla, and beat. Add coconut. In separate bowl sift flour and soda together twice before adding to first mixture. Add buttermilk and flour alternating in 3 additions. Start with dry and end with dry until all has been creamed together. Fold in beaten egg whites. Prepare 3 well greased and floured pans.

Bake at 350°F for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, until cake springs back when pressed by hand. Cool completely before icing.

Icing:

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 box powered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 stick of butter

Cream together and ice only between layers: put pecans or walnuts on top of icing before adding next layer. Keep in cool place as icing melts.