Italian Cream Cake

Italian cream cake is a southern-style cake is bursting with pecan, coconut, and almond flavors. It’s frosted with a cream cheese frosting and beautifully decorated to make one impressive and ridiculously tasty dessert!

Ingredients

For Cake

▢2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (333g)
▢2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
▢1 teaspoon baking powder
▢½ teaspoon baking soda
▢1 teaspoon table salt
▢12 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened and cut into 12 pieces (170g)
▢1 ½ cups buttermilk room temperature preferred (354ml)
▢2 large eggs room temperature preferred
▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢½ teaspoon almond extract
▢1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (120g)
▢1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (113g)

Frosting (yes, it’s a lot, see note)

▢1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
▢16 oz cream cheese softened (453g)
▢1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
▢½ teaspoon almond extract
▢¼ teaspoon table salt
▢8 cups powdered sugar (1000g)

For decorating, optional

▢½ cup pecan halves finely chopped (60g)
▢½ cup toasted coconut finely chopped (40g)

Instructions

For Cake

Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and thoroughly grease and flour three 8” (20cm) round cake pans (additionally I like to line the bottoms of each pan with a round of parchment paper to prevent sticking).
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) and stir until completely combined.
With mixer on medium-speed, add butter, one piece at a time, stirring until completely combined after each addition and before adding the next piece. Continue until all butter has been added. Mixture will be sandy once all butter is incorporated.
In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla and almond extract.
With mixer on low-speed, slowly drizzle buttermilk mixture into the batter until completely incorporated. Pause periodically to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are completely combined.
Use a spatula to stir in coconut and pecans until completely combined.
Evenly divide batter into prepared baking pans and transfer to the center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (see note if your oven does not fit all three pans at once, or if you do not have three pans!).
Allow cakes to cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen cake from the pan and invert each layer onto a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating. While cakes cool, prepare the frosting.

Frosting

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) combine butter and cream cheese and beat on low-speed until creamy and well-combined,
Add vanilla extract, almond extract and salt and stir to combine,
With mixer on low-speed, gradually add powdered sugar until all has been added. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl and stir again. Frosting should be smooth and creamy.

Assembly

Level cakes if desired/necessary. Place one cake on serving platter and spread a thick, even layer of frosting over the top. Repeat with the next two layers. Smooth a thin layer of frosting evenly around the entire cake to catch the crumbs then place the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (this is your “crumb coat”, it will ensure your outer layer of frosting remains pristine.
Remove cake from refrigerator and spread an even layer of frosting over the entire cake. Use remaining frosting to pipe decorative swirls on top of the cake (I used the Ateco 846 piping tip).
If desired, immediately after frosting the cake, mix together finely chopped pecans and toasted coconut and press halfway up the side of the cake. Dust the top of each swirl with a light sprinkling of pecan/coconut mixture.

Notes

Baking pans

Bake cakes in the center rack of your oven (do not place cake tins on different racks, they won’t bake properly). If your oven does not bake evenly, you may need to rotate the pans halfway through baking or just be aware that some tins may bake faster than others. If your oven does not fit all three tins in the center rack, it’s fine to leave one sitting on the counter until the first two have baked, the lone cake may need a minute less time in the oven.

This recipe may also be made in three 9” pans, but will need to bake for less time (start checking at 25 minutes).

Icing

Since Italian Cream Cakes are well known for their luscious cream cheese frosting, I wasn’t about to skimp on the amount for my recipe. This recipe as written makes enough frosting to generously cover the entire cake as well as to do the decorative border on top. If you want a more modest amount of frosting and no decorative border, feel free to divide the recipe in half.

Storing

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cake may also be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen.

Nutrition