Ingredients

Yield: 12-16 servings

3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup mashed, ripe bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flaked coconut

For Coconut Frosting:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flaked coconut

For cake: Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Add bananas. Beat 2 minutes. Sift dry ingredients and add along with vanilla and buttermilk. Beat 2 minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup coconut over each. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool coconut side up. Fill and frost with Coconut Frosting.

Directions

For frosting: Combine sugar, flour, cream and butter. Cook until thick. Stir in pecans, salt, vanilla and coconut. Spread frosting on first layer of cooled cake, generously in the center, then frost top layer. Put under broiler until coconut is slightly browned. Watch carefully.

Each serving contains 494 calories, 27 g fat, 61 g carb, 278 mg sodium, 47 mg cholesterol.