Italian Cream Cake

1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
5 eggs (separated)
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 small can angel flake coconut

Frosting:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325

Combine buttermilk and soda and let stand while mixing the following cream sugar, butter and shortening, add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well at each addition.
Add buttermilk alternatively with flour to creamed mixture, stir in vanilla, beat egg whites to quite firm but not dry peaks.
Gently fold in egg whites, gently fold in pecans and coconut.
Bake in 3 (9 inch) greased, floured layer pans for 25 minutes or until cake tests done.

Frost Cake with: 1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese softened, 1 stick oleo room temp, 1 lb. carton confectioners sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla

Decorate if desired with more chopped pecans or pecan halves

store in refrigerator

gets better if made one day before serving