Italian Cream Cake
Origin aside, this Southern American cake will get RAVE reviews!
Servings: 12
Equipment
- 8-inch cake pans
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 ½ cups sifted cake flour
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ⅔ cup buttermilk at room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 3 extra-large eggs yolks and whites separated
- 1 cup sweetened shredded dried coconut finely chopped
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
For the Frosting
- 12 ounces cream cheese cold
- 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a round of parchment; set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl combine the buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the 1 cups of sugar. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-6 minutes. Beat the egg yolks one at a time. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beating on low speed, add the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in 2 parts; scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until combined. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar using a hand-held mixer or whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add the ¼ cup sugar and beat on high until stiff, but not dry peaks form. Fold one-quarter of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the cakes to release them from the pan. Invert the cakes, remove the parchment, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla just until blended. Add the confectioners' sugar, one-third at a time, and beat just until smooth (do not over beat). Stir in the pecans.
- Place one cake layer on a serving platter and top with 1 cup of the frosting, spreading evenly. Place the other cake layer on top and frost the sides and the top with the remaining frosting. Enjoy!
Notes
Cake layers can be made, cooled, wrapped, and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days or frozen for up to three months. Frost and refrigerate up to one day before serving. Let sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before slicing.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 774kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 212mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 90g | Vitamin A: 1050IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg
