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Italian Cream Cake

This glorious Italian Cream Cake is one of the greatest cakes ever invented! It’s a spectacular cake, any way you slice it. Pardon the pun. The rich thick pecan and coconut filled batter is only trumped by the decadent cream cheese frosting. It’s ideal for showcasing as the feature dessert for birthdays, holidays or any special gathering.

Italian Cream Cake


Easy Italian Cream Cake Recipe

What’s Italian About This 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, Italian cream recipes are basically the same, and true to form as it is with all recipes, my take on it has evolved through the years in my kitchen. While it does take several steps to create this cake it’s a labor of love well worth the effort when you see the delight on the faces of your family and friends. It’s a very special cake for a special occasion. Ingredients to make Italian Cream Cake:

  • Flour – All purpose flour sifted with baking soda and baking powder.
  • Butter – Salted butter, softened.
  • Sugar – Granulated sugar and light brown sugar.
  • Flavorings – Vanilla extract and almond extract.
  • Eggs – Five large eggs.
  • Milk – Whole buttermilk (not fat free).
  • Mix-ins – Sweetened flaked coconut and chopped pecans.
  • Frosting – Plain cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract.
  • Garnishes – Reserved coconut and toasted pecans.
Italian Cream Cake

How to Make the Best Italian Cream Cake Recipe

My family members are die hard sweet or savory coconut fans. Coconut and pecans pair beautifully in this spectacular cake frosted with a dreamy cream cheese frosting. It’s such an amazing cake, it’s guaranteed to turn any occasion into something special. I always like to include a few tips to ensure your cake making success:

  • Kitchen tools you’ll need to make Italian Cream Cake: An electric mixer, either a stand mixer or a hand mixer whatever you have on hand. Large mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons and a whisk to sift together the dry ingredients, plus a large silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing. A sheet pan and chopping tool to prep the nuts for roasting.
  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Italian Cream Cake: All purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, salted butter, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, sweetened flaked coconuts and pecans. Softened cream cheese and powdered sugar along with vanilla and almond for the frosting.
  • If you only have unsalted butter on hand, add 1/2 tsp salt to the dry ingredients and proceed with the recipe.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 for this cake recipe.
  • Store  this cake in an airtight container chilled for up to one week, if it lasts that long.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Thaw frozen cake layers in the refrigerator and frost before serving.
Italian Cream Cake

More Southern Style Cake Recipes to Add to Make

Cakes just spell celebration no matter when they’re served. In my opinion, life is much too short to skip dessert or only have cake once a year on your birthday. Baking can be therapeutic, and sweets tend to bring happiness to those around you. Other cakes you may like to try:

coconut-cake-recipe

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

Italian Cream Cake

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cooling Time (Layers)2 hours
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Italian-cream-cake
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: 1216kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • Cake:
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole buttermilk
  • 14 oz package sweetened flaked coconut divided
  • 1 1/2 cup pecan pieces toasted divided
  • Frosting:
  • 2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 lb powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
  • reserved coconut toasted
  • 1/2 cup reserved toasted pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 3 [9] inch round cake pans or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
  • Cake: In a medium bowl use a whisk to sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder together. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pure vanilla and almond extracts. Beat until creamy and light beige in color, around 3-4 minutes
  • Add the eggs 1 at a time beating well after each addition.
  • To the bowl add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk beginning and ending with flour. After all has been added increase the mixer speed and beat until fully combined.
  • By hand mix in 1/2 of the 14 ounce package of flaked coconut and 1 cup of toasted pecans until evenly distributed in the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Cool completely in the pans on a cooling rack.
  • Frosting: In a large bowl use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream together the cream cheese and butter until light, fluffy and pale yellow in color. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. Beat to combine. Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually add the powdered sugar beating until creamy and smooth.
  • Assemble: Line the edge of the cake plate or platter with wax paper strips. Center one cake layer on the pedastal.
  • Frost each layer sprinkling each with reserved toasted pecan pieces.  Add the final layer and frost the top and sides.
  • Press toasted coconut on sides. Decorate the top as desired with the remaining chopped pecans. (See in the Cook's note for how to toast coconut)
  • Store chilled until serving.

Notes

a) To toast the pecans: Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes. Cool completely before adding to the batter.
b) “How to” for toasting the coconut here
c) Alternative frosting technique: Mix the toasted pecans into the frosting by hand and spread onto the top and sides of the cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 1216kcal | Carbohydrates: 149g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 201mg | Sodium: 505mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 123g | Vitamin A: 1101IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

 

550 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’m not a cake lover…until now! This is the best cake I have ever tasted! Very moist. And stays moist 2-3 days later. This cake is just amazing. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. The ingredients can be expensive, but well worth it. Take this cake to any celebration and you will be an instant rock star! Thank you so much, for sharing this recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    I would give this more than 5 stars if I could. I typically am not a cake person at all, but OH MY GOODNESS, this is the best cake I’ve ever made, let alone eaten! I didn’t have 3 of the same size cake pans so I made cupcakes with the batter leftover after using 2 cake pans. My husband and I ate all the cupcakes and can’t wait to eat some of the cake later!

      1. Ugh! I cruised through the recipe and realized after they were in the oven that I should’ve used 3 cake pans!! It took a baby amount longer in the oven…should I start over? It’s slightly darker that I would’ve thought but that could be the large amount of eggs. Thoughts?

      2. Oh dear, so as you noted this batter is thick. If you’re saying you had to bake the layers longer and they’re over-browned, there’s no way to fix it but trim the exterior. Rather than waste the cake you baked turn it into a trifle or parfaits.

    1. I could buy this cake in California but Florida can’t find it anywhere. Can’t wait to make this!

  3. 5 stars
    Wonderful cake so moist and one of the best cakes I’ve ever baked or eaten! I WOULD RATE IT A 10 IF I could. Its also so pretty.Thank you for sharing!

  4. 5 stars
    5 super stars for this recipe. I toasted my pecans and my coconut first, thawing butter and cream cheese at the same time. Separated my eggs before I mixed batter and folded whites into batter at the end right before adding coconut and pecans. Next time will just put eggs in as directed because I am not sure if it helped. Froze layers overnight, whipped my frosting and frosted adding last of toasted pecans and coconut to the outside the next morning. My husband said it is the best cake he has ever tasted. My one oops was using unsalted butter so put a pinch of salt into frosting. Best recipe ever.

    1. I’m glad you loved this. This cake is dense by nature and there’s really no need to go to the trouble of whipping the whites to fold into the batter. One less prep step. For a light cake, it works like a charm and I even do that with pancakes. For this cake, it’s not necessary.

      1. 5 stars
        Commenting again because I have now made this cake by request numerous times and you are right about egg whites. Perfect!

      2. I normally don’t leave comment, however I just want to say that this is a wonderful recipe. I can’t eat sweet cake so I adjust the sugar amount by half. Since I don’t like the way coconut flakes taste, I’ve substitute it with young coconut meat in the freezer section of the Asian market. My cake turns out very good and even after a week it still taste very moist. I’ve come to a conclusion that it actually taste better the next day instead of the day it was made. Thank you for sharing your recipe. This cake actually taste better than my own wedding cake.

      1. I have been making Italian Cream Cake for years and have always made the one with shortening and butter. I have never seen one with brown sugar in it. Very interesting. I want to try it but I’m afraid my family may think I messed it. I know it sounds crazy LOL Mmmmmm
        However, the reviews are awesome!

  5. 5 stars
    My late grandmother always made an amazing Italian Cream cake. It was one of my favorites. I decided to make this cake for Christmas, as it seemed to be as close as I would get to hers without having her recipe. My family LOVED it. It got rave reviews. I followed the recipe and directions to a t..& everything turned out perfectly. The frosting is something else!!! So yummy. This was the first homemade cake I have ever made!! If I can make it, so can you!

  6. 5 stars
    I’ve made this cake multiple times and it is fabulous! Turns out perfect every time and one of everyone’s favorites!

    1. You would use grams for both. 14 ounces equals 5 1/3 cups of coconut. 8 ounces cream cheese is 1 cup. I hope this helps with conversions, depending on where you reside.

  7. 5 stars
    This is my dad’s favorite type of cake. Today is his birthday. Despite having a newborn, he asked me to make him a cake! I of course agreed. This recipe was the first in my search. It came together really quickly and was a huge hit. Thank you so much.

  8. Two of my kids are allergic to all tree nuts, but not to almonds (probably because it isn’t a true nut). Could I swap out the pecans for almonds?

  9. 5 stars
    I made this cake for the first time at the request of a friend. It is by far one of the most beautiful and delicious cakes I’ve ever made! I couldn’t have asked for better results. I didn’t have 3 cake pans, so I baked two, and then baked the third after – all came out beautifully at 20 minutes in a 9 x 2 inch round. I used spray oil and parchment paper on the bottom. I finely chopped the pecans for the batter, and I separated the egg yolks from the egg whites. I added the egg yolks as stated in the recipe. I then whipped the egg whites until stiff peaks formed. These were added just before the coconut and pecans. Not a fan of almond flavoring, so I just used an equal amount of vanilla. I might use a little less powdered sugar in the frosting, or just decrease then amount of frosting used a bit. Thanks for sharing!

      1. You could use the equal amount of cake flour for this cake, but it’s not necessary to do so. All purpose works perfectly.

  10. Hi Melissa,
    Can I make this without almond extract? My husband strongly dislikes the flavor of it but I still want to try this recipe.

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