Description
Creamy Southern Italian Cream Cake brings pure delight to your dessert table with its rich, tender layers of pure comfort. Generations of bakers have perfected this classic treat that melts in your mouth and leaves everyone craving another slice.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 24 ounces cream cheese
- 5 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 ½ cups pecans
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
- 9 cups powdered sugar
Flavoring and Stabilizing Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Decoration:
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup coconut
- Extra pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare three 9-inch cake pans by greasing, flouring, and lining bottoms with parchment paper.
- Toast 2 cups of pecans at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until fragrant. Let them cool completely.
- Whisk 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Separate 5 large eggs, placing whites in a clean mixing bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar to whites and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Cream 1 cup softened butter with 2 cups sugar for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Stir 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract into the butter mixture.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and 1 ½ cups buttermilk to the batter, starting and ending with flour.
- Gently fold 1 ½ cups shredded coconut and 1 cup chopped pecans into the batter.
- Carefully fold in beaten egg whites until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
- Beat 24 ounces cream cheese and 1 ½ cups butter until completely smooth.
- Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract.
- Gradually add 9 cups powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt, beating until silky.
- Whip frosting on medium speed for 5 minutes until light and airy.
- Trim cake layers if needed to create even surfaces.
- Place first layer on serving plate and spread 1 cup frosting evenly.
- Add second cake layer and repeat frosting process.
- Position final layer and apply thin crumb coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Cover entire cake with remaining frosting, creating smooth surfaces.
- Press 1 cup toasted coconut and 1 cup chopped pecans around bottom half of cake.
- Create decorative border on top and garnish with additional pecan halves.
Notes
- Toast pecans carefully to enhance their nutty flavor without burning, watching them closely in a dry skillet or oven.
- Cream butter and sugar thoroughly for a light, tender cake texture that melts in your mouth.
- Beat egg whites separately and fold gently to maintain maximum volume and create an airy, delicate crumb.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to preserve the cake’s delicate structure.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 597
- Sugar: 52 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg