Italian Cream Cake

After getting lots requests for a recipe for Italian Cream Cake and testing many, I finally arrived at my own version. I started with my Moist Vanilla Cake and went from there.

The backbone of this dessert is a light, fluffy, wonderfully moist cake infused with toasted pecans and coconut. The cake is complemented by a velvety whipped cream cheese frosting that’s super light and perfectly sweet. The whole thing comes together beautifully in an elegant dessert topped with swirls of frosting and covered in pecans and coconut

Why You’ll Love This Italian Cream Cake

• It’s beautiful. Layer cakes tend to be showstoppers. This one in particular really catches my eye every time. There is something about the subtle, light colors, the cloud-like puffs of frosting, and the beautiful outside of toasted pecans and coconut that screams elegance.
• Texture. I love the way the light, fluffy cake layers interact with the smooth whipped cream cheese frosting, the crunch of the pecans, and the chewy texture of the shredded coconut. This cake delivers a beautiful adventure in every bite.
• Light and balanced. Don’t get me wrong, rich decadent cakes have their place too. But sometimes they can be a bit much. This Italian cream cake is light, airy, and graced with a delicate sweetness that is perfect for spring.

What Is Italian Cream Cake?

The origin of Italian cream cake doesn’t really seem to be known. And despite its name, it’s not exactly Italian in origin. It’s really more of a southern cake defined by the addition of coconut and pecans and cream cheese frosting.

What You’ll Need

I love how baking can take a hoopla of simple ingredients, mix them together, and turn them into something truly spectacular. Here’s a list of what you will need to make this supremely tasty Italian cream cake. Scroll to the recipe below for measurements.

Cake Layers

• Eggs – 5 of them! Eggs and yolks separated. Both play an important role in this cake. The yolks give body and bind the cake ingredients while the egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks and folded in gently, adding volume, moisture and texture. It is important to allow the eggs to come to room temperature once separated.
• All-purpose flour – Feel free to use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour instead.
• Baking soda – For the ideal rise and texture.
• Salt – Necessary for a cake that isn’t bland.
• Unsalted butter – Start with room temperature butter. It will blend and hold volume better than cold or melted butter.
• Shortening – I like using shortening here because the flavor really compliments the coconut and pecans. Butter will do just fine, however.
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract – Optional, but I really love the extra hint of flavor.
• Buttermilk – I use powdered buttermilk to avoid buying a whole carton and letting the rest go to waste. The buttermilk adds a nice flavor and fluffiness to the cake and reacts well with the baking soda so I suggest against making substitutions.
• Sweetened shredded coconut
• Chopped pecans – Make sure to toast them. It really adds to the flavor of the cake. Here’s how to toast pecans.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese – Start with room-temperature cream cheese. It will incorporate more smoothly with the other ingredients, saving you from a clumpy frosting.
• Heavy whipping cream – The heavy whipping cream should be cold otherwise it will not whip up properly.
• Powdered sugar – For a touch of sweetness.
• Vanilla extract – For flavor.

Additional

• Sweetened shredded coconut – Toasted. I usually toast it in the oven.
• Finely Chopped Pecans

How to Make Italian Cream Cake

Pay close attention to detail here. Baking is a science and there really is a method to my madness. Here is an overview of how to do it. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe below for more details.

Make the Cake Layers

• Separate the eggs. Divide the egg yolks from the whites. You will need both.
• Prep. Line the bottom of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Cream the butter. Beat the butter, shortening, sugar, and extracts until light and fluffy.

• Add the egg yolks one at a time. Mixing after each addition until combined.
• Add dry ingredients and buttermilk. Beginning with the dry ingredients, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/3 of the buttermilk, alternating until all the dry ingredients and all the buttermilk have been used.

• Whip the egg whites. Use high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Finish the cake batter. Fold the egg whites into the batter along with coconut and toasted pecans.

• Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• Cool. Allow the cakes to cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting

• Beat the cream cheese. Make sure it is at room temperature, then beat until smooth.
• Make the whipped cream. Whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Finish the frosting. 1/3 at a time, gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese.

Assemble the Cake

• Flatten the cakes. Use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes.
• Layer. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate and spread frosting over the top. Place the second cake on top of the first and frost the top. Repeat this with the third cake.
• Chill. Place the cake in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
• Frost the outside of the cake. Check out my post on how to frost a smooth cake.
• Decorate. Press the toasted coconut into the sides of the cake, pipe the remaining frosting in shells around the top edge of the cake, and sprinkle with pecan crumbles.
• Chill. Pop the cake in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve.

Tips for Success

• Cream thoroughly. When combining the butter, shortening, sugar, and extracts, beat them on high speed for a full 3-4 minutes. The high speed and extended period of time will incorporate as much air as possible into the mixture, ultimately producing a lighter, fluffier cake.
• Measure carefully. Especially when it comes to flour, it is important to get your measurements right. Too much flour will lead to an overly dense cake and too little will produce a loose, sloppy cake. I recommend spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it or using a food scale.
• Don’t over-mix the batter. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, over mixing will cause the gluten in the flour to develop too much. This will result in a dense, dry cake. So only mix until your ingredients are incorporated. No more.
• Start with room-temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese won’t incorporate well with the other ingredients ending you with a lumpy frosting. So have a little patience and let your cream cheese come to room temperature before making the frosting.
• Use stand mixer, if possible. This is mainly the case for the frosting. I find that hand mixers don’t whip the whipped cream to quite as stiff of a peak, so your frosting may be a touch less thick if you use a hand mixer.

How to Store Italian Cream Cake

• Store in the fridge: This cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Close the cake in an airtight cake carrier and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you do not have a cake carrier, you can wrap the cake in a double layer of saran wrap using toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the cake decorations.

Note that this cake is best served at room temperature. So let it sit out for a couple of hours before digging in.

Can I Freeze It?

Yes and no. I do not recommend freezing the completed, decorated cake but you are more than welcome to freeze the cake layers and assemble the cake at a later date. Wrap the cooled cake layers in clear wrap and foil, or even place them in Ziplock bags or an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to assemble, allow the layers to thaw in the refrigerator before carrying on with stacking, frosting, and decorating.

More Elegant Layer Cakes

• Browned Butter Pecan Layer Cake
• Caramel Apple Pecan Layer Cake
• Orange Layer Cake
• The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
• Pecan Pie Layer Cake
• Ultimate Layered Cookie Cake
• Strawberry Moscato Layer Cake
• Neapolitan Cake