FOR THE CAKE – ▢1 cup 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, softened – ▢2 cups (400g) sugar – ▢5 large eggs separated – ▢2 cups (242g) all-purpose flour – ▢1 teaspoon (5g) baking soda – ▢¼ teaspoon salt – ▢1 cup (242g) buttermilk – ▢1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract – ▢1 cup (85g) chopped pecan – ▢1 cup (75g) flaked sweetened coconut FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING – ▢2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, softened – ▢16 oz cream cheese (total weight 452g), softened (We used two 8 oz packages, full fat) – ▢1 teaspoon 4g vanilla extract – ▢6 to 6 ½ cups 690g to 747g powdered sugar – ▢1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (Some bakers like to fold the pecans into the frosting. We prefer to add them to the frosted cake as decoration.)
Pre-heat the oven to 350. Grease and flour three 8x2 pans. Use 9-inch pans too. Soften butter by mixing on medium speed. Add sugar slowly, mixing on medium for 4–5 minutes.
Once each egg yolk is added, beat until the yolk's yellow is mixed. Put vanilla extract. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds in a separate bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until mixed after last addition.
Add vanilla. Slowly stir in powdered sugar. Increase mixing speed and beat until foamy, about 1 minute, without overmixing. Too much hammering softens it. Simply chill for 10–15 minutes.
Frosts a 3-layer 8- or 9-inch cake. Cool layers before frosting and filling.Cake was cream cheese-stuffed and decorated. Chill to harden during decorating (15 minutes in freezer, longer in fridge).