Submitted by Betty Richner, Halfway, Mo.

INGREDIENTS:

2 C sifted flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 C butter

1/2 C Crisco

2 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 C buttermilk

1 1/3 C flaked coconut

4 eggs

1 C pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, soda and set aside. Cream butter, Crisco and sugar. Add egg yokes, beat well. Blend in vanilla. Add dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk to creamed mixture, beat after each addition. Stir in coconut and pecans. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and folk into cake batter. Pour batter into three greased, floured round cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then turn cakes out onto wax paper to cool more.

Icing

INGREDIENTS:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 C soft butter

1 box powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C pecans

1/2 C coconut

3 Tbsp milk

DIRECTIONS:

Mix cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar together; add 3 Tbsp of milk, if needed. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Spread between layers and on the sides of cakes.