Delicious Italian Cream Cake

Italian Cream Cake is very interesting.  There’s really nothing Italian about it.  I researched a little to try to find out why it’s called Italian Cream Cake.  One story I read said that it was created by an Italian cook for a wealthy southern family in the United States.  One story said “someone” thought cream cheese was Italian and because of the cream cheese frosting, decided to call it Italian.  Yet another story said that it tastes a little bit like cannoli, so someone called it Italian.

I actually had the thought while typing this that if you made the frosting with mascarpone cheese instead of cream cheese, you could probably legitimately call it Italian.  Really all you need to know in the end is that this is a DELICIOUS cake.  The cake itself is not overly sweet, and the frosting is a perfect compliment.

Cake ingredients:  2 c all-purpose flour, 1 t baking soda, 1 c butter, softened, 2 c sugar, 5 eggs, separated, 1 T vanilla extract, 1 c buttermilk, 1 c coconut.

Frosting: 8 oz cream cheese, softened, 1/2 c butter, softened, 16 oz confectioner’s sugar, 1 c chopped pecans, 1 c coconut flakes, 1 T vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease two round cake pans.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda.

I’m using my KitchenAid mixer today, but you can just use a hand mixer if you don’t have a KitchenAid.  Beat the butter until it looks fluffy.

 Gradually add the sugar while the mixer is still going.

Separate your eggs.  You’re going to use the whites and the yolks, so don’t throw anything away!  Keep your mixer going and add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

 Mix in vanilla.

Now, starting with flour, add a little flour, then a little buttermilk and keep alternating until they’re both gone.  Begin and end with the flour.

Stir in the coconut.

Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form.  Here’s what they should look like.  Gently fold them into your batter.

Pour into your two cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then take them out of the pans and onto a cooling rack until completely cooled.

 Frost when cooled.

To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together until they are thoroughly mixed.

Add the vanilla and then slowly add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until all the sugar is fully incorporated.  Stir in coconut and pecans.

See how my cake doesn’t look perfect?  It does NOT matter.  Cover that up with delicious frosting.

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Delicious Italian Cream Cake

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dessert

By Denise Palma

Prep Time: 15 mins – Cooking Time: 25-30 mins

Delicious Italian Cream Cake with cream cheese, coconut and pecans.

Ingredients

•  2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 c butter, softened
• 2 c sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1 c coconut
• Frosting
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened,
• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 16 oz confectioner's sugar
• 1 c chopped pecans
• 1 c coconut flakes
• 1 T vanilla extract

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease two round cake pans.

2

 In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda.

3

 Beat the butter until it looks fluffy.

4

 Gradually add the sugar while the mixer is still going.

5

Separate the eggs. Set the whites aside.

6

 Keep your mixer going and add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

7

Stir in vanilla.

8

Now, starting with flour, add a little flour, then a little buttermilk and keep alternating until they're both gone.  Begin and end with the flour.

9

Stir in coconut.

10

Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form.

11

Gently fold them into your batter.

12

Pour batter into two 8 in cake pans, lightly greased

13

Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

14

Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then finish cooling on a cooling rack.

15

Frost when cooled.

16

Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until fully incorporated.

17

Add vanilla.

18

Add confectioner's sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated.

19

Stir in pecans and coconut.