Incredibly Delicious Italian Cream Cake

This Italian cream cake is my aunt's recipe. It is both famous and infamous in our family. It's absolutely irresistible!

Ingredients

Coconut Cake:

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup butter

½ cup shortening

2 cups white sugar

5 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flaked coconut

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese

½ cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons light cream

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 cup flaked coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9-inch round cake pans.

Make the cake: Combine buttermilk and baking soda together in a small bowl; set aside.

Beat butter, shortening, and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, buttermilk mixture, vanilla, coconut, baking powder, and flour; stir until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the frosting (while cakes are cooling): Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in cream, a little at a time, to attain the desired consistency. Stir in walnuts and coconut. Spread frosting between the cake layers and on the top and sides of cooled cake.