Italian Cream Cake

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 large egg yolks
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large egg whites, room temperature
lemon rind — optional

CREAM CHEESE ICING

1 tablespoon butter — light chilled
8 ounces Neufchatel cheese — chilled
1 pound powdered sugar — sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparing the icing.

Beat butter and cheese at high speed of a mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and vanilla, beating at low speed just until blended (do not over beat). Cover and place in refrigerator until chilled.

Preparing the cake.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat the bottom of three 9″ round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pans), and line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray. Dust with flour and set aside.

Cream sugar and butter in a large bowl. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in pecans and extracts.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (do not over beat). Fold egg whites into batter; pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 23 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Turn onto wire racks. Peel off wax paper; let cool completely.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Spread with 1/3 cup Cream Cheese Icing, top with another cake layer. Repeat with 1/3 cup icing and remaining layer, ending with cake layer. Spread remaining icing over sides and top of cake. Garnish with lemon rind, if desired.