ITALIAN CREME BUNDT CAKE

Ingredients :

2 c all-purpose flour
2 c sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 c shredded coconuts
1 c finely chopped walnuts
5 egg whites [beat for stiff peaks]
5 egg yolks
1 c buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp baking powder [optional]

CAKE ICING
1 pkg cream cheese, 8 oz.
1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 c chopped nuts
4 c powdered sugar
1/2 c coconut, shredded

Directions :

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter with sugar. Add vanilla.
2. Separate the eggs.
3. Beat the whites until soft peaks form; set aside.
4. Cream the egg yolks, butter, and sugar. Set them aside.
5. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients: Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda. [It doesn’t call for baking powder but I like my cakes to stand high]
6. Add the dry ingredients to the mixture a little at a time alternating with the buttermilk (about 1/4 cup at a time).
7. Next mix in walnuts and coconut.
8. With a spatula gently fold in your egg whites into the batter by making the figure 8 pattern.
9. Spoon the batter into your greased Bundt pan making it as even as you can.10. Bake for about 60 minutes until the cake seems firm. Let it cool for 20 minutes.
11. For the Icing, with a hand blender cream the cream cheese with the 1/2 cup of whipping cream.
12. Add powdered sugar. Blend.
13. Remove cake from Bundt pan.
14. Ice the cake.
15. Sprinkle coconut and top off with chopped walnuts. Again drizzle [I like that word] more icing on top of nuts and coconut.
16. Refrigerate the cake until you are going to slice and serve!