Directions

• Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). Prepare three circular cake pans measuring 8 inches in diameter by greasing and flouring them.
• Concoct the dessert by: Whisk together the butter, shortening, and sugar until smooth. After each addition of egg yolk, make sure to give the mixture a thorough beating. Mix in the vanilla extract.
• Mix together the cocoa, baking soda, and flour using a sifter. The flour combination should be added to the butter mixture in batches, with buttermilk being added in between each batch. The dry ingredients should be added first and last. Pecans and coconut should be mixed in.
• In a separate dish, beat the egg whites just until they form stiff peaks, and then fold them into the batter. Add the batter to the cake pans that have been prepared.
• Bake for around 25 to 30 minutes in an oven that has been preheated. Take out of the oven and allow to cool entirely, which should take approximately thirty minutes.
• Preparing the icing can be done while the cakes are cooling down: The cocoa and confectioner’s sugar should be sifted together.
• Cream cheese and butter should be beaten together until they become creamy. A small amount of confectioners’ sugar mixture should be added at a time until it is thoroughly blended. Pecans and vanilla should be mixed in.
• Take cakes out of the pans once they have cooled. Before stacking the layers and frosting the sides, frost the top of each layer.