Italian Cream Cake
Italian cream cake is a Southern layer cake made with coconut, chopped pecans, and a tender, moist crumb, all frosted with a thick cream cheese icing. It bakes in three rounds and takes roughly an hour in the oven, making it a reliable choice for birthdays or special occasions.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Oven
- 9-inch round cake pans
- Rubber spatula
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 0.5 cup shortening
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded coconut sweetened
- 0.5 cup chopped pecans toasted
For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4.5 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 0.5 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a stand mixer, cream together the 5 tablespoons of softened butter, shortening, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, around 3-4 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Gradually add to the creamed mixture alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix in vanilla, coconut, and chopped pecans until just combined.
- In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold into the batter until evenly incorporated.
- Divide batter equally among prepared pans and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- For the frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter until smooth. Add vanilla, then gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating until fluffy.
- Once the cakes are cool, spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Decorate with additional chopped pecans on top or pressed on the sides, if desired.
Notes
Tammy’s Tips:
- For a deeper coconut flavor, toast the coconut before folding it into the batter.
- Substitute the pecans with walnuts if preferred.
- This recipe can be adapted for gluten-free diets by substituting the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour.
Nutrition
Calories: 768kcalCarbohydrates: 101gProtein: 6gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 198mgPotassium: 151mgFiber: 2gSugar: 83gVitamin A: 776IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 2mg
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