• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease and flour them. For a taller cake, you can use three 8-inch pans. And for a super tall, skinny cake, you can use 6-inch pans. Be sure to adjust baking times for the smaller cakes.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff. Set aside while you mix the rest of the cake. If you are using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites, then transfer them to another bowl. Use the same mixing bowl to mix the rest of the cake.
• In the mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and beat well, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Combine the flour and baking soda. Add to the cream mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Stir in the vanilla, then add the coconut and pecans. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
• Pour into the prepared cake pans. Bake 40 minutes, making sure the center of the cake springs back when touched lightly and that a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
• Cool in the cake pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

FOR THE FROSTING

• Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake. Use the toasted coconut and pecan halves to decorate the cake.