Have you ever had the pleasure of tasting an Italian Creme Cake? In this area they are only seasonally made at the local grocery store during the Fall. This is my husbands number 2 favorite cake under pineapple upside down cake. When your hubby says he loves something that much and is so disappointed when he couldn't find it in the store. I got to work researching different recipes so I could make it for him. I always look at the reviews for any recipes I am looking up to find out what worked and didn't.
Italian Cream Cake (old family recipe)
Servings: 14
CAKE
- 1/4 lb butter, softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 eggs, separated
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 lb butter, softened
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 box powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
*If too thin, you can add a little more powdered sugar and if too thick you can just add a little splash of milk or buttermilk the mix.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. For cake: Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add egg yolk one at a time, beating after
each addition (this is an important step!) Stir in baking soda and buttermilk. Add sifted flour into batter, alternating
with the buttermilk mixture. Add
vanilla, coconut and chopped pecans. Beat
egg whites and fold into batter.
Pour into a greased and floured round cake pan. I like the way round cakes look better, so I went with a round cake pan. My go to cake pan is the little $1 cake pans so I can just throw them out when I am done. Bake for 45 minutes, or until cake tests done. Remove from oven, cool completely before
frosting.
For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and pecans. Continue to beat until you get a spreading
consistency.
*This cake was the most delicious and moist cake I have ever made. I did change a few simple little things like almonds; I added a little more vanilla than was called for and I added almond extract as well. It was absolutely divine and arguably better than any store made cake. Someone else's old family recipe has become our new old family recipe with a few changes of course. I actually made this cake for his birthday hence the football themed napkins and plastic "TOUCHDOWN" table decor. I was super happy with all of the results. There is nothing like a delicious cake to celebrate with.