• Heat the oven to 350 °F. Spray 3 cake pans and line bottom with parchment paper and set aside. Place the egg whites in a clean mixer bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes until stiff peaks form. Place the whipped egg whites in a separate bowl.
• Wash and dry the mixer bowl and beaters. Place the softened butter in the clean bowl and beat until creamy about 1 – 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar, egg yolks and vanilla and continue to beat with the electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
• In a separate bowl sift together the baking soda and cake flour. Slowly alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the creamy butter mixture. Stir in the coconut and pecans with a spatula. Fold in the beaten egg whites with an over and under stirring motion.
• Bake the cakes on the center oven rack for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes before icing.

For the Icing:

• Combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a mixer bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Ice in between each cake layer and sides. Sprinkle the top of the cake with 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts.