Italian Cream Cake

This southern-style Italian Cream Cake is one of the greatest cakes you’ll ever eat! It features a rich thick toasted pecan and coconut filled cake batter topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting. It’s a show stopping dessert ideal for birthdays, the holidays or any special gathering.

Easy Italian Cream Cake Recipe

What’s Italian About Italian Cream Cake? Nothing, actually. This vintage cake dubbed “Italian Cream Cake” is more Southern than Italian, and no one really knows definitively why it was given this name. That said, traditional Italian cream cake recipes are very similar and this easy Italian cake is my take on it, after extensive testing through the years in my kitchen. While it does take several steps to create, it’s a labor of love that’s well worth the effort. It’s such an amazing cake, it’s guaranteed to turn any occasion into something special.

Ingredients to Make Italian Cream Cake Recipe

Checkout this quick list of ingredients you’ll need to make the southern-style Italian Cream Cake Recipe: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)

• Flour – All purpose flour works perfectly, there’s no need to use cake flour.
• Leavening Agents – Baking soda and baking powder give lift to the cake batter.
• Butter – I use softened salted butter for this cake. You can use unsalted butter adding 1/4 teaspoon salt to the leavening agents.
• Sugar – This cake uses both granulated sugar and light brown sugar. The brown sugar is what gives a richness to the flavor, don’t skip it.
• Flavorings – You’ll need vanilla extract and almond extract. If you don’t care for almond flavoring, use additional vanilla extract.
• Eggs – Five large eggs or 4 x-large eggs.
• Liquid – I use whole buttermilk for this recipe. You can make your own buttermilk using whole milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir together and let stand for 5-10 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
• Coconut – Sweetened flaked coconut found on the baking aisle, not fresh or frozen coconut.
• Nuts – Traditionally this Italian cream cake is made with chopped pecans. You could also use walnuts.
• Cream Cheese Frosting – Two blocks of plain cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar (confectioners sugar), vanilla extract, almond extract.
• Garnish – The outside of the cake is garnished with toasted coconut and pecans. You can pipe the frosting or simply frost with an icing spatula any way you choose.

How to Make the BEST Italian Cream Cake Recipe

Coconut and pecans pair beautifully in this spectacular cake with cream cheese frosting. Baking can be therapeutic, and sweets tend to bring happiness to those around you. This Italian Cream Cake is one of those showpiece cakes that make a statement on the dessert table. It’s okay to feel proud once you serve it, I know I do!

• Heat Oven and Prepare Pans – Preheat the oven. Butter and flour three round cake pans or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Dry Ingredients – Use a whisk to sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder together.
• Creamed Ingredients – Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract on medium-high speed until light beige in color.
• Eggs – Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
• Combine – Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
• Pecans and Coconut – Fold in flaked coconut and one cup of toasted pecans into the cake batter.
• Transfer to Prepared Pans – Pour batter into the prepared pans.
• Oven – Bake per the cook time in the recipe until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
• Cool – Cool the cake completely in the pans on a wire rack.
• Make the Cream Cheese Frosting – Cream together the cream cheese and butter until light, fluffy then add the vanilla and almond extracts and powdered sugar. Beat until creamy and smooth.
• Frost the Cake – Center one cake layer on a cake stand. Frost each layer sprinkling with reserved toasted pecans.  Add the final layer and frost the top and sides.
• Decorate – Press toasted coconut on sides. Decorate the top as desired with the remaining chopped pecans. Store chilled until serving.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Italian Cream Cake

• An electric mixer, either a stand mixer or a hand mixer whatever you have on hand.
• Three 9-inch cake pans.
• Large mixing bowls plus a large silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• A whisk to sift together the dry ingredients.
• A sheet pan and nut chopper or a sharp knife and chopping board prep the nuts for roasting.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Butter – If you only have unsalted butter on hand, add 1/4 tsp salt to the dry ingredients and proceed with the recipe as written.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar alone doesn’t give the depth of flavor you gain by adding brown sugar to the batter along with a touch of almond extract. Don’t skip it, it’s what sets this recipe apart from the rest.
• Butter vs Vegetable Shortening – Traditional Italian cream cake recipes often call for solid vegetable shortening in the batter. That said, after years of making this cake, I prefer using all butter in my cream cake batter.
• Toasting Coconut – It’s well worth the small amount of effort it takes to toast the coconut to use as a garnish for the sides of the cake. Not only does toasted coconut make it pretty, but it adds a spectacular flavor as well. See how to toast coconut here.
• Nuts – This cake could be made using chopped walnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts in place of pecans.
• Cream Cheese – You could adapt the frosting using mascarpone cheese or neufchatel cheese. Both have a softer texture than classic cream cheese and would likely need more powdered sugar or dry egg whites added to stabilize the icing.
• Alternative Frosting Technique – Mix the reserved toasted pecans into the frosting by hand and spread onto the top and sides of the cake.

Storage and Freezing Cake

• Storage and Leftovers – Store Italian Cream Cake in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap chilled in the fridge for up to one week, if it lasts that long.
• Freezer Storage – You can make and bake the cake layers up to one month in advance for a timesaver. Let the cake rounds cool completely then wrap in freezer wrap and heavy duty foil.
• Thawing the Cake – Thaw frozen cake layers in the refrigerator and frost before serving. Thaw a fully assembled cake in the fridge overnight then slice and serve.

More Southern Style Cake Recipes to Make

• German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Icing is a classic that never goes out of style.
• Million Dollar Pound Cake Recipe is a must-make for any occasion.
• Island inspired Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake is a cake mix hack that everyone can make.
• Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Coconut Pecan Icing is a retro cake that’s rich and delicious.
• Coconut Cream Pound Cake is drizzled with a vanilla cream glaze.
• Double Chocolate Coconut Zucchini Cake will have the kiddos eating their vegetables and loving it!
• My Buttered Rum Cake is a holiday favorite!
• Red Velvet Layer Cake is an iconic Southern dessert.
• You may also like this recipe for Coconut Custard Layer Cake from Beyond Frosting.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Stand Mixer
• Cooling Racks
• Measuring Set
• Cake Pans