Italian Cream Cake Recipe

A cake stand with an Italian cream cake with a slice cut out.

Italian Cream cake has three tender layers loaded with shredded coconut and toasted pecans, finished with thick cream cheese frosting. A Southern bakery-style classic that holds up beautifully when made a day ahead.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Cool Time 30

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 1150kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

9-inch round cake pan
Mixer

Ingredients

For the Cake:

2⅓ cups all-purpose flour (280g)
1¼ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
⅔ cup unsalted butter (152g)
½ cup vegetable shortening (96g)
2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
6 large eggs separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup whole buttermilk (240mL)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (100g)
1 cup toasted pecans chopped (115g)

For the Frosting:

2 (8-ounce/226g) blocks cream cheese room temperature
1½ cups unsalted butter (340g)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
7 cups confectioners’ sugar (840g)

For the Garnish

toasted coconut
toasted pecans

Instructions

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour three 8-inch round cake pans or spray with baking spray. (Wrap the cake pans with soaked baking strips if you’d like.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together on medium-low speed until combined. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk one at a time, and beat until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
With the mixer on low, add in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk until combined. Scrape down the bowl and stir in the coconut and pecans.
In a separate bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter in three portions. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth into an even layer. Gently tap the pans on the counter a few times to settle the batter and pop and larger trapped air bubbles.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and the edges of the cake start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes then remove and continue cooling completely on wire racks.

For the Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium-low speed until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar until combined. Increase speed to medium-low and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

For the Assembly:

Place a cake layer on a cake plate. Top with 1¼ cups of frosting, and spread into an even layer to the edge of the cake. Repeat with another cake layer and frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake, saving about 1 cup for piping on the top, if desired. Garnish with toasted coconut, pecans, and rolled cookies, if desired. Keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve. Keep any leftover, loosely covered, in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Video

Notes

Tap the cake pans on the counter to pop trapped air bubbles before baking. Just four or five gentle taps will do the trick. This levels out the batter and removes any larger pockets of air that can get trapped with folding in the egg whites. Large air pockets will bake large holes in the cake, so this is a helpful step!
An offset spatula or bench scraper makes frosting the cake easier. The shape of an offset makes it easier to spread the frosting between each layer and on the outside of the cake by keeping your hand elevated above the cake’s surface. A bench scraper is a good finishing tool for a perfectly smooth side once all of the frosting is on.
When whipping egg whites, use a metal or glass bowl with no trace of grease or water, or the whites won't reach stiff peaks. Fat inhibits the egg proteins from setting properly when beating.
When folding in egg whites, use a cutting motion through the batter, not a stirring motion, to preserve the air you whipped in. A silicone spatula does this job the best!
Make ahead: This cake flavor improves on day two as the cake absorbs moisture from the frosting and flavors in the layers meld. Once assembled, keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
For 9-inch cake pans: Prepare three pans the same way and divide the batter between them. Reduce the bake time to 25-30 minutes since the pans are wider. The cake layers will be thinner, and they are very delicate, so be careful removing them from the pans and when assembling the cake.

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