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How To Make An Italian Cream Cake


Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 16 people
A slice of Italian Cream Cake on a teal plate.
This exquisite Italian Cream Cake Recipe is made with layers of vanilla cake loaded with toasted pecans and shredded coconuts, smothered in a delectable cream cheese frosting, and adorned with pecan halves, toasted pecan chips, and toasted coconut for a truly show-stopping dessert!

Ingredients  

Vanilla Cake

Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with cake goop (best results) or non-stick spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium skillet, toast 1 cup pecan chips for 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove and allow to cool completely before using.
    Pecan chips being toasted in a pan.
  • Add 3½ cups cake flour, 1½ cups granulated sugar, ½ cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons powdered milk, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt to a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment and mix for 1 minute.
    Dry ingredients to make Italian Cream Cake in a bowl.
  • Add the super soft 1 cup salted butter and mix at medium-low speed until the mixture becomes sandy in texture.
    Soft butter being added to dry ones to make cake.
  • Add the 2 large eggs and 4 large egg whites one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
    Egg being added to dry ingredients to make cake.
  • Add 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, ½ teaspoon almond extract, then 1 cup buttermilk in three parts, mixing for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the bowl. Mixing until the batter is smooth.
    Cake batter in a bowl.
  • Fold in the cooled toasted pecans and 7 ounces shredded coconut (untoasted) until combined. You can blitz the coconut in a food processor for finer pieces that make for cleaner cuts and a less stringy texture!
    Pecans and coconut being added to cake batter in a glass bowl.
  • Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. (I usually get about 940g per pan).
    Cake batter for Italian Cream Cake divided between two pans.
  • Smooth out the top of the batter and bake for 45 to 50 minutes (see notes) until the edges of the cake begin to pull away from the pan and the top springs bake when touched. A cake tester should also come back clean from the center, and the cake should read an internal temperature of 200°F. If using 8-inch pans, the cakes will likely need 5 to 10 additional minutes.
  • Immediately after removing from the oven, use a pastry brush to the top of the cakes with some of the ⅓ cup vanilla simple syrup. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, flip them onto a wire rack, brush the bottoms and sides of the cakes with the remaining simple syrup, and allow them to cool completely before frosting. About 1 hour.
    Overhead of the cake layers for Italian Cream Cake.

Frosting

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Add 1 cup pecan chips to the pan and toast for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway in between.
  • While the pecans toast, add 4 ounces shredded coconut to a skillet and toast over medium heat until golden brown.
    Shredded coconut being toasted in a skillet.
  • Cream 1 cup unsalted butter, 16 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment (recommend this method).
    Frosting in a glass mixing bowl.
  • Add 9 cups powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 ounce at a time. Mixing at low speed after each addition just until incorporated.
    Powdered sugar being added to a bowl to make frosting.
  • Increase speed to high and whip for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting looks wet or grainy, add an additional ½ cup of powdered sugar, if it's too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.
  • Reserve a cup or two of frosting for piping on the top and edges of the cake.
  • Add ¾ cup of the toasted pecans into the remaining frosting and mix to combine.
    Pecan chips being added to a bowl of cream cheese frosting.

Assembly

  • Spread a small bit of frosting on your cake stand, board, or plate to help grip the cake.
  • Place one of the cake layers on top of that frosting and add some frosting on top to create a thick middle layer of frosting. You can pipe this on and smooth it out with a bench scraper also.
    Frosting being spread on a round layer cake.
  • Place the next layer on top of the frosting, then top it with frosting and spread it all over to create a thin crumb coat. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
    Italian Cream Cake with a crumb coat on a white plate.
  • Remove from the fridge and finish frosting it with the rest of the frosting.
  • Press the toasted coconut to the side with your hands immediately after frosting so it sticks before the frosting starts to crust.
    Close up of an Italian Cream Cake.
  • Once the coconut is on, I like to create a decorative border around the top and bottom of the cake.
  • Add the remaining toasted pecans to the top of the cake within the piped frosting border and gently press them down so they stick. Top the border with pecan halves if desired.
    Overhead of Italian Cream Cake on a table.

Notes

  • This is an involved recipe, but you can bake the cake a day in advance. Once the cakes have cooled and the simple syrup has soaked in, wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and store (preferably at room temperature) until ready to use.
  • I recommend using European-style or grass-fed butter and letting it sit out overnight before using it for the best results. I used Kirkland Grass-fed butter in my testing.
  • It's best to use finely chopped pecan chips in this recipe for easy cutting. I like these pecan chips from Target.
  • The doneness time varies because different ovens and pans bake differently. I recommend starting with 35 minutes, checking for doneness, and adding a few minutes at a time as needed. When fully done, the center of the cake should be 200 degrees F.
  • This recipe makes a lot of frosting, but feel free to use less if desired.
  • The nutritional information is an estimate based on 16 servings - yes, it is a lot. This is a rich and indulgent cake loaded with butter, cream cheese, sugar, and nuts - it's unavoidable but worth it occasionally!

Nutrition

Calories: 1012kcal | Carbohydrates: 133g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 109g | Vitamin A: 1215IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 2mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/italian-cream-cake/