italian creme cake

This is a recipe from my Grandmothers collection of recipes. It's delicious! Make it, you won't be disappointed (even you coconut haters).

cake
1 stick butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

1. Beat butter, vegetable oil and sugar until smooth.
2. Separate egg yolks and whites
3. Add egg yolks to butter, oil, sugar mix and beat well
4. Add soda to the flour
5. Add vanilla to buttermilk
6. Add flour/soda mix alternately with the buttermilk/vanilla mix
7. Add the coconut and nuts.
8. Beat the egg whites until stiff (forming soft peaks)
9. Fold egg whites into the batter.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes @ 350° in three 8" round cake pans

frosting
8 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut
1/4 - 1/2 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Whip cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Frost cake and sprinkle with coconut and nuts.

**UPDATE 1/19/10: I made this cake again for my husband's birthday. This time I used half whole wheat flour and halved the vegetable oil with applesauce. The cake was just as delicious as the first time. Not completely guilt free but a little closer.