Italian Cream Cake
This variation contains maraschino cherries for a splash of color.

For the Cake:
1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
2 c sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 t vanilla
1 c buttermilk
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 c coconut
1 c pecans, chopped
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

For the Frosting:
1/2 c butter
11 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 T vanilla
1 c pecans, chopped

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans.

Cream butter and shortening. Add in sugar and beat until light. Add in eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla. In a bowl combine the dry ingredients, and add this alternately with the buttermilk. Fold in the coconut, pecans and cherries. Beat the whites until peaked and fold into the cake mixture. Transfer to the three reserved pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Invert and cool cakes.

For the frosting:
Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth. Stir in the pecans. Use this to spread between the layers and on top of the cake.