Italian Cream Cake

–from the kitchen of Lauren Mitchell (senior, dietetics) (courtesy her mom)

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened

½ cup vegetable shortening

2 cups sugar

5 egg yolks

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

5 egg whites

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cream butter and shortening with a mixer.  Add sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.  Sift flour with baking soda and salt; then add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Stir in vanilla, then coconut and pecans.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, and gently, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites into batter.  Pour in two greased and floured 9” round cake pans.  Bake 25 minutes at 350°F or until golden brown.  While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting.  Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Powdered sugar (approximately 1 pound)

Directions: In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to frost the cooled cake. Once frosted, garnish cake with additional pecans.

Back to story: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/stories/2011/11/food-for-thought/