My Italian Cream Cake was probably one of the best selling cakes we had. I have been told many times it is the icing. One of the things I learned about selling cake in my restaurant was that the cake would not sell until the first piece was missing! Funny how that worked, but the employees never complained because as soon as the cake was ready to display, we would all share the first slice in the kitchen before opening the cafe doors.
This is the recipe for the Italian Cream Cake. It is a denser cake that goes so well with a cup of good coffee! Covered with cream cheese icing, toasted pecans, and coconut, it is a crowd-pleaser. For another great cake with cream cheese icing please try my Hummingbird Cake!
Italian Cream Cake
Yield: 9 in. round cake – 3 layers
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1 tsp. Baking soda
Combine these two ingredients in a small bowl and let sit while combining the rest.
- 2 Cup Sugar
- 1 Stick Butter
- ½ Cup Crisco Shortening
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 6 Egg Yolks
- 2 Cups Flour
- 6 Egg Whites, beaten until stiff
- 1 Cup Pecans (Great Texas pecans!)
- 1 ⅓ Cup Coconut
In a mixing bowl, mix the sugar, butter, shortening, and vanilla until creamy. Mix in the egg yolks, one at a time. Sift the flour and then alternate adding ½ cup of the sifted flour and ¼ cup of the buttermilk and soda combination into the mixing bowl (this helps things incorporate evenly). In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peak forms. FOLD with a spatula into the cake mixture. Fold in the pecans and the coconut. Spray three 9 in. round cake pans, and pour the cake mixture evenly between the three. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the center of the cakes are firm to the touch. Do not over bake. Frost with my cream cheese icing and ½ cup of toasted pecans and coconut (I toast in a shallow pan in a 325-degree oven for 5 minutes).
I have included the recipe for the cream cheese icing!
Enjoy!
Maurie Kay
Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese (Softened)
- 4 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Stick Butter
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
Mix the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add the vanilla and then slowly add the powdered sugar until you reach the desired spreading consistency.
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