BETSY ROSS CREAM CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

FOR THE CAKE:
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
5 eggs, separated
2 cups sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine, softened, divided use
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp vanilla, divided use
1 tsp chopped pecans
1 (3 1/2 oz can) flaked coconut
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE ICING:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (1 lb) pkg powdered sugar

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) layer cake pans.

Combine buttermilk and baking soda and let stand a few minutes.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Cream sugar, 1/2 cup butter or margarine and shortening. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add buttermilk alternately with flour to creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla. Gently fold in egg whites, pecans and coconut. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until cake tests done. Place cake in pans on wire rack to cool for a few minutes; turn cake out of pans onto rack to cool completely.

When cool, stack cake layers using Cream Cheese Icing as filling between layers and on top (icing does not cover sides).

TO MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE ICING:
Cream cheese and remaining 1/2 cup butter or margarine. Add the remaining 1 tsp vanilla. Beat in powdered sugar. Icing does not cover sides, it's just enough for top and between layers.

Traditionally known as Italian Cream Cake.

Adapted from source: Magazine Clipping