Billie's Italian Cream Cake

I don't know who Billie is, but she makes one heck of a cake! I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman website and knew I had to try it. Curiously, I found the cake was even better the next day - almost like a marriage had taken place.




Billie's Italian Cream Cake:

Cake:

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. sugar
5 eggs, separated
3 t. vanilla
1 c. coconut
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 c. buttermilk

Frosting:

2 - 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
3 t. vanilla
2 lb. powdered sugar
1 c. walnuts, chopped
1 c. coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 - 9 inch cake pans, set aside.
Beat egg whites until stiff, set aside.

In a large bowl combine butter, oil and sugar, beat until fluffy. Mix in egg yolks, vanilla and coconut. Add dry ingredients and finally add buttermilk. Gently fold in egg whites.

To make frosting, combine cream cheese and butter - mix well in Kitchen Aid bowl. Add, vanilla, then powdered sugar. Once well blended add nuts and coconut.

Evenly pour cake batter into the 3 prepared cake pans, sprinkle with 2 T. sugar. Place cake pans in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool in pans for 15 minutes then turn cakes out on a wire rack. These cakes are rather delicate, so be careful not to break them. Cool completely.

Once cooled frost between layers.

Bon Appetit!