Italian Cream Cake

Cake
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
6 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans and set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla extract.

In another bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk and eggs, mixing well after each addition. Fold in pecans and coconut. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake   for 35 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and turn layers out of pans onto wire racks; cool completely.

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly add sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Assemble and fill layers; frost sides and top of cake to cover.

Makes 16 servings.