- 1/2 cup margarine
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 cups white sugar
- 5 eggs, separated
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 (3.5 ounce) can flaked coconut
- Frosting:
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup margarine, softened
- 1 pound confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch baking pans.
- Beat 1/2 cup margarine and shortening in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sugar. Beat in egg yolks until smooth.
- Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl. Add to the margarine mixture in batches, alternating with buttermilk, until batter is smooth. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; add pecans and coconut.
- Beat egg whites with clean beaters in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter. Pour into prepared pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes; invert onto a cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup margarine in a bowl until smooth; stir in confectioners' sugar. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until frosting is combined.
- Spread frosting onto the cooled cake layers. Stack cakes; frost top and sides.