I found this recipe on the net published in Gagsden Times by Prudence Hilburn. This sounds like the cake you are looking for.

Coconut Lemon Cheese Cake

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
5 eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup toasted coconut

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. Add the vanilla and lemon extract. Mix well. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in the coconut. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. Spread lemon cheese filling between layers and cream cheese frosting on top and around the sides.

Lemon Cheese Filling:

1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Combine all ingredients in top of a double boiler. Mix well. Heat water in bottom of double boiler. Place pan with filling in it over the pan of boiling water. Cook stirring often, until mixture thickens. Remove the pan of filling and place it in another larger pan which has been filled with ice water. Stir until mixture cools and thickens enough to spread on layers.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margaring (1/2 stick), softened
3 to 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup toasted coconut

Combine cream cheese, butter and enough confectioners' sugar to make it spreadable. Beat until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and coconut.
(If the mixture gets too thick, add a little milk.
It is not thick enough, simply add more confectioners' sugar.)