Get the Recipe:
Italian Cream Cake
In the pantheon of classic Southern cakes, Italian cream cake ranks right up there with red velvet and hummingbird cake! Flavored with pecans and coconut, then iced with cream cheese frosting, it's an unforgettable dessert.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
- 1 cup (85 g) sweetened flaked coconut
For the frosting:
- 1 cup (120 g) chopped pecans
- 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounces (454 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
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Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
- Whisk together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and beat well. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three portions, alternating with two portions of the buttermilk. Stir in the coconut.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Then, remove from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- Toast the pecans in a shallow baking pan at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat at low speed until blended. Then, increase mixer speed to high and beat until smooth. Stir in the pecans.
- Stack the cake layers, spreading the frosting between the cooled cake layers and on the top and sides of cake.
Notes
- Recipe slightly adapted from Southern Living.
- To refrigerate. You’ll need to store Italian cream cake in the refrigerator because the cream cheese frosting won’t last more than a few hours at room temperature. Keep it covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To freeze. When freezing cakes, I like to place the cake in the freezer uncovered just until the frosting is solid and then I wrap the cake with a layer or two of plastic wrap and foil. This way, the frosting doesn’t stick to the plastic wrap and your cake will look fabulous when you’re ready to eat it.
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