This sweet and tangy Italian cream cake features three decadent layers of moist, coconut-scented cake held together by a thick layer of homemade cream cheese frosting, made crunchier thanks to a handful of chopped pecans.
This Italian cream cake recipe is as effortless as making a homemade bakery-worthy cake gets. It features a rich coconut-scented cake with a thick coating of cream cheese frosting speckled with crushed pecan chunks. Although its name would suggest otherwise, this dessert isn’t believed to have originated in Italy. Instead, speculation says it’s a recipe developed by an Italian expatriate who relocated to the Southern United States years ago. Either way, it’s indisputably delicious and the perfect sweet treat to complement any meal year-round. Fortunately, preparing it isn’t a big undertaking either, as it only takes about an hour from start to finish.
Ingredients for Italian Cream Cake
Butter, shortening and sugar: Creaming these ingredients together helps give the cake structure and rich flavor. Taste of Home recipes are tested with lightly salted butter unless otherwise specified. The light salt content helps balance the sweetness from the sugar.
Eggs: Bring the eggs to room temperature to make mixing them into the cake batter easier. The egg yolks help bind the ingredients, while the whipped egg whites give the cake a light, airy texture.
Vanilla extract: Opt for high-quality vanilla extract to give this cake its warm, cozy flavor.
All-purpose flour and baking soda: These dry ingredients help give the cake its tender texture and structure. Baking soda also acts as a leavening agent, promoting extra fluffy cake layers as they bake.
Buttermilk: Tangy buttermilk gives the cake a mildly acidic undertone that helps balance the sweetness from the sugar.
Shredded coconut and pecans: These ingredients give this recipe for Italian cream cake a chewy consistency and add nutty flavor notes to each bite.
Cream cheese and butter: Softening these two ingredients before beating them helps create a creamier, lump-free cream cheese frosting mixture.
Confectioners’ sugar: This sugar delicately sweetens the cream cheese frosting. To achieve a sweeter and thicker consistency, continue adding confectioners’ sugar until you’ve achieved the desired results.
Vanilla extract: Opt for good-quality vanilla extract to lightly scent the cream cheese frosting with its warm, aromatic notes.
Chopped pecans: The chopped nuts give the cream cheese frosting a chewier texture. The pecans will continue to soften as they absorb residual moisture from the cream cheese.
Directions
Step 1: Make the cake batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans. In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, for about five to seven minutes. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda and add it to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Beat it until just combined. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
Step 2: Beat the egg whites
In another bowl, beat the egg whites with clean beaters until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites. Pour it into prepared pans.
Step 3: Bake the cakes
Bake it until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 4: Prepare the frosting
For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in the pecans. Spread the frosting between layers and over the top and side of the cake. Store the cake in the refrigerator.
Italian Cream Cake Variations
Make a DIY buttermilk: Instead of buying buttermilk, place one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup and add enough milk to make one cup. Stir and then let it stand for five minutes. You can also substitute one cup of plain yogurt for the buttermilk.
Add a splash of Amaretto: To give the dessert a boozy twist, add a splash of amaretto, an almond-flavored Italian liqueur, to the frosting and lightly brush the cooled cake layers with the liquid.
Swap the pecans: Use walnuts or hazelnuts instead of pecans in the frosting and cake for a slightly different flavor,.
Cut the recipe in half: This recipe yields 16 servings. To make a smaller portion just cut the recipe in half. This may entail modifying the cooking time depending on the size of the cake pans.
Save the batter for making other baked goods: Save some of the batter for making cupcakes or smaller, personal-sized mini cakes rather than cutting the recipe in half.
NEXT PAGE
ADVERTISEMENT
