Italian Cream Cake

I found this recipe in Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2008. My variations are: I used regular flour, just shy of 2 cups, made buttermilk using 1 tbsp lemon juice and milk to make 1 cup, I didn't toast the pecans, I cut the recipe in half and used 6 inch pans for small cake. I have also read reviews where people preferred a whipped cream icing, but I like the cream cheese, only its REALLY sweet, so don't cut a big slice!

Cake:
butter and flour for pans
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 large egg whites

Frosting:
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup (5 oz) less fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour pans.
Beat butter until creamy, add sugar, beat well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well.
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in pecans, and extracts.
Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form (do NOT overbeat). Fold egg whites into batter; pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 23 minutes (less time for smaller pans) or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen cake layers from sides of pans; remove from pans. Cool completely.

To prepare frosting, place 1 Tbsp butter and cream cheese in large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat). Add 1 tsp vanilla; beat well.

Frost cake and serve, yum!

I pressed chopped pecans onto the sides of the cake for a pretty presentation. You could also put a few raspberries and some mint leaves or fresh (untreated) Roses on the top center of the cake.