"I feel the end approaching.
Quick, bring me my dessert, coffee and liqueur."
- Pierette, great-aunt of Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 pound white chocolate, melted
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flaked coconut

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolks; add vanilla and melted chocolate. Stir together flour and baking powder; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Stir in pecans and coconut. Bake in 2 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes. Cool, and remove from pans and ice with either White Icing or White Chocolate Icing.

White Icing

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A 5.33-ounce can evaporated milk

Mix ingredients and let stand 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Cook to the soft
ball stage (238 degrees F.) Beat until batter is of spreading consistency.

White Chocolate Icing

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
2 cups white chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Slivered almonds, toasted

Combine ingredients, except almonds, in top of double boiler and stir over hot water until butter and chocolate are melted. Blend until smooth. Ice
cake immediately. Garnish with almonds.