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.

  • Ā½ cup butter-flavored shortening (Regular shortening will work too.)
  • Ā½ 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)
  • 1Ā½ 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.)
  • 1Ā½ cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 cup finely crushed walnuts (or pecans)

 
FROSTING

  • 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • Ā½ cup butter, softened
  • 4 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1Ā½ cups shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1Ā½ 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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Comments

Marlene Dotterer saidā€¦
Yum! I saved your recipe to my meal planner (Plan to Eat). Like you, I will make it when I have company. If it's in the house, I will eat one or two pieces a day until it's gone. I have no resistance!

Marlene
Mike Keyton saidā€¦
Very nice. Lemon drizzle is my go-to my birthday cake but this could be a strong contender šŸ˜Ž
Maria Zannini saidā€¦
Marlene: That's why I freeze half of whatever is leftover. It's rich and decadent, but so satisfying.

Since it takes more effort than a usual cake recipe, it's nice to pull it out of the freezer as an (almost) instant dessert.
Maria Zannini saidā€¦
Mike: That's right. You're birthday's coming up!

Hope you're recovering well. Abdominal surgeries seem to take forever to heal. Or at least it feels that way.
Luba saidā€¦
Maria, I never asked you this but do you "parli Italiano?" I do! So "grazie mille" for this delicious cake recipe. I will make it. My Italian stepfather was a great cook and he made me Tiramisu from scratch. I had never in my life tasted such a delicious pastry. Wished I paid closer attention when he made it. Young and dumb, eh? šŸ˜‰ My favorite cake besides my homemade Banana cake is the Italian lemon cake. Have you ever had an Italian lemon cake? OhEmGee!!! It's a round lemon cake with lemon flavored filling in the middle and another layer of cake underneath with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. My mom served it all the time. One might think that's too Lemony, but it's not, really. A true Italian lemon cake has a tasty hint of it. Not too much and not too little. šŸ¤©šŸ˜‹šŸ˜šŸ˜‹ Hugs Xx


Maria Zannini saidā€¦
Luba: I learned enough Italian to get by when I visited Italy. My Italian last name is courtesy of Greg. I'm pretty sure I speak more Italian than him. LOL!

Thank you for the suggestion of lemon cake. I love anything lemony so I will look for a good recipe.

Our wedding cake had a lemon filling. I wonder now if it was similar.
Luba saidā€¦
It could be similar to your wedding cake. This cake is so delicious and I just found out at Amazon's there's a Italian Lemon Cake under Dianne's cakes. The cake costs $125 dollars. I think I'll make it myself. LoL šŸ˜‰ I had to giggle when you said yourevpretty sire you speak more Italian than him. šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚