Recipe(tried): Hawaiian Cream Cake with Cream Cheese Icing (with macadamia nuts and coconut) and variation

Can you say yummy! This was a recent find by my Mom who went to make an Italian Cream cake and decided to substitute her stash of macadamia nuts from Hawaii instead of the usual pecans. This is one of the best cakes I have ever had. Be sure to fold in the egg whites gently without stirring to achieve a really light and fluffy texture.

HAWAIIAN CREAM CAKE

CAKE:
2 cups sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup Crisco
5 egg yolks
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 (3 1/2 oz) can coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped macadamia nuts,* divided use
5 egg whites, beaten
ICING:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened
1 pound box powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

TO PREPARE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease three (8 inch) layer cake pans or on 13x9-inch baking pan.

Cream sugar, butter, and Crisco. Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, beat well.

Combine flour and baking soda; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla. Add coconut and nuts. Fold cake mixture into beaten egg whites.

Bake in three 8 inch layers 25 minutes at 325 degrees. (You can make this in a 13x9-inch in pan, but need to add 10 minutes to the baking time.)

TO PREPARE THE ICING:
Beat cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar. Mix well. Add vanilla, and beat until smooth.

Spread on each layer and all around sides and top of cake. Top with remaining 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts.

*Variation for Italian Cream cake substitute pecans for macadamia nuts.