Italian Cream Cake | What’s Cookin’ Italian Style Cuisine

A delightful homemade, delicate texture that is 3 cake layers with shredded coconut and pecans inside and out.

The thick, decadent cream cheese layers of icing are simply off-the-chart and win any coconut pecan lover’s heart.

The cake can be all made from scratch, or you can doctor up a white cake mix if you prefer to save time.

Perfect for celebration parties as it’s so pretty to serve and tastes great with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

If you’re looking for a special cake to bake for someone, this is a great choice and addition to your cake-baking recipe collection.

Through several articles that were written, it is said that the recipe creation was invented by an Italian baker who moved to Texas sometime in the 1930s.

You may also like to try our Maraschino Cherry Cake or Hummingbird Cake, both delightful cakes.

Just scroll down to the bottom to click on print for our easy, all-homemade recipe.

Why You Will Love Italian Cream Cake

• Exceptionally moist and tender texture
• Rich cream cheese frosting in every bite
• Perfect for holidays and celebrations
• Coconut adds wonderful flavor and texture
• Pecans provide a delicious crunch
• Can be made ahead for easy entertaining
• Beautiful presentation without complicated decorating
• A crowd-pleasing dessert everyone requests again and again
• Freezes well for future gatherings
• Great for potlucks, church dinners, and family reunions

Delicious Mix-Ins for Italian Cream Cake

• Mini white chocolate chips
• Chopped toasted walnuts
• Finely chopped almonds
• Crushed pineapple (well-drained
• A touch of almond extract
• Orange zest
• Chopped maraschino cherries
• Toasted coconut flakes
• Mini chocolate chips
• Rum extract for a bakery-style flavor

Tips and Suggestions:

• Make one large cake instead of 3 layers
• Any nuts can be added, even sunflower seeds for nut allergies
• For a richer cake mix, add milk instead of water to the mix, an extra egg, and butter instead of oil
• Only fold in the egg whites at the end, being careful not to overmix the batter
• The cake tastes great with just whipped cream if you’re not a fan of cream cheese frosting
• For a thinner frosting, add a few tablespoons of heavy cream or half and half
• Bring eggs, butter, and cream cheese to room temperature before mixing.
• Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
• Toast pecans before adding them to enhance their flavor.
• Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added.
• Allow cake layers to cool completely before frosting.
• Chill the cake for 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts.
• Use parchment paper in cake pans for easy removal.
• Refrigerate leftovers covered

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Ingredient Alternatives for Italian Cream Cake

• Don’t Like Coconut Leave it out entirely: Replace with finely chopped pecans, use toasted almonds for texture
• Nut-Free Version: Omit pecans completely, add extra coconut for texture, use sunflower seeds if desired
• Cream Cheese Frosting Alternatives: Vanilla buttercream, whipped mascarpone frosting, coconut buttercream, white chocolate frosting
• Dairy Alternatives: Plant-based butter substitutes, dairy-free cream cheese frosting, unsweetened coconut milk in certain cake recipes
• Serving Suggestions: Serve with fresh strawberries or raspberries, pair with coffee or espresso, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream
• Garnish with toasted coconut: Sprinkle extra chopped pecans on top, drizzle with caramel sauce for a decadent touch

Italian Cream Cake

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Yield: 15

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Italian Cream Cake is an all-made from-scratch cake with pecan, coconut, and almond flavors. It’s frosted with cream cheese frosting and is very tasty!

Ingredients

• 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening solid (like Crisco)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 5 eggs yolks
• 5 egg whites stiffly beaten
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• Icing:
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 4 ounces of softened cream cheese
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese at room temperature
• Note: you can substitute the frosting recipe using all cream cheese if you prefer or all mascarpone)
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 3- 8-inch pans.
2. Beat the egg white until stiff and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter, shortening, and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (a light lemon in color around 4 minutes).
4. Beat in the egg yolks then whisk in the flour with baking soda until evening blended alternating with buttermilk.
5. Stir extracts, pecans, and coconut.
6. Fold in the egg whites.
7. Pour into the prepared pans.
8. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes or until the middle comes clean using the toothpick method.
9. Cool completely and frost with the icing recipe.
10. Icing:
11. Beat the cheese and butter together.
12. Add the powdered sugar, and extracts then beat until creamy to blend evenly.
13. Frost the cooled cake and garnish with pecans and coconut.

Notes

Other Suggestions and Mix-ins

1. chopped walnuts
2. chopped toasted pistachios
3. chopped macadamia nuts
4. toasted almonds
5. for allergies use sunflower or pumpkin seeds
6. sprinkle with shaved chocolate with almonds
7. drizzle the cake with melted chocolate
8. sprinkle with colorful candies to match a party theme
9. bake the cake in a differently shaped pan instead of 3 layer cake
10. for the fastest doctored cake mix make a white cake mix for this Italian cream cake

Pans to Use:

• Sheet cake: 13 x 9 around 30 to 40 minutes (or character pans)
• Bundt pan: 40 to 45 minutes
• Round: 3- 8 -inches around 25 minutes
• Larger Round pans: 3- 9-inch around 20 minutes 
• Note: use the toothpick method (place in the cake when it comes out clean, the cake is cooked)

Tips and Suggestions:

• make one large cake instead of 3 layers
• cut the sugar by 1/2 cup for less sweet cake
• any nuts can be added even sunflower seeds for nut allergies
• for a richer cake mix add milk instead of water to the mix, an extra egg, and butter instead of oil
• only fold in the egg whites at the end being careful not to overmix the batter
• the cake tastes great with just whipped cream if you’re not a fan of cream cheese frosting
• cool the cake before frosting
• for a thinner frosting add a few tablespoons of heavy cream of half and half
• refrigerate leftovers covered

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Italian cream cake, Italian cake recipes, pecan, coconut cream cake, cream cheese frosting, Southern scratch cake recipes,

scratch cake recipes, cake recipes, specialty cake recipes, homemade cake recipes

Italian, American

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