Italian Cream Cake

I've made this cake enough times that I've added my own spin on established recipes. Even now I'm learning (the hard way) when to tweak it.

The cake came out so tender that one of the layers fell apart in my hands as I was transferring it to the cooling rack. I should've waited another two minutes for it to cool. I'm touchy about leaving cakes in their cake pans for too long for fear it will continue baking in the hot pan. 

To play it safe, next time I will line my cake pans with parchment paper so I can transfer it to the cooling rack in one piece.

Note: Many recipes won't say this, but I think it's important. Authentic Italian cream cake should not be dense. Since I only keep all purpose flour in the house, I take this extra step.

In this recipe, measure out 2 cups of all purpose flour, then remove 4 tablespoons of flour and replace with 4 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Sift the flour mixture five times. Don't miss this step. If you don't have a sifter, use a whisk until the flour is fluffy.

• ½ cup butter-flavored shortening (Regular shortening will work too.)
  
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 5 eggs, separated at room temperature
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups cake flour (See NOTE above to make cake flour)
  
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  
• 1 cup real buttermilk at room temperature (HINT: I use powdered buttermilk and store it in the freezer until I need it again.)
• 1½ cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup finely crushed walnuts (or pecans)
  

 
FROSTING

• 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1½ cups shredded sweetened coconut
• 1½ cups walnut (or pecan) pieces
  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
   
2. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Cut parchment to fit inside pans.
   
   
3. In a large bowl cream together shortening, butter and sugar.
4. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   
   
5. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and baking powder. Sift flour 5 times.
   You now have 3 bowls of different ingredients.
   
   
6. Alternate adding the buttermilk and flour into the sugar mixture. Start and end with buttermilk. Mix well after each addition.
7. Stir in vanilla.
   
   
8. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
9. Fold egg whites gently into batter.
   
   
10. Stir in coconut and walnuts (or pecans).
11. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-27 minutes.
    
    
12. Remove from oven and let cakes sit in pans for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and place on a cooling rack
    .
13. Make the frosting by creaming together cream cheese, butter, vanilla and confectioner's sugar.
14. Stir in coconut and walnuts (or pecans).
    
    
15. Frost cooled cake layers
    
    
    This is Greg's guilty pleasure. He's not supposed to have it, but once a year he eats it. I've learned to make it only when we have guests so I'm not left with a lot of temptation.
    
    HINT: This cake freezes really well, but I rarely get a chance to freeze much of it.
    
    

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