Italian Cream Cake
Chockablock full of nuts and coconut, this gorgeous Southern layer cake isn’t as well known as it deserves to be. It’s time to spill its secrets.We loved the idea of loading this layer cake with coconut and pecans, but the added bulk spelled destruction for the tender crumb and didn’t enhance the flavor. Toasting the coconut and nuts made a significant improvement. Grinding the stringy coconut in the food processor yielded less interruption to the cake, while soaking it in buttermilk made it all but disappear. Finally, we amped up the traditional cream cheese frosting with the addition of cream of coconut and, of course, a blanket of pecans.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Cake:
- 5 ounces sweetened shredded coconut 145 grams, 1 ½ cups, toasted
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 ounces cake flour 283 grams; 2 ½ cups
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces and softened
- 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening cut into 4 pieces
- 12 ¼ ounces sugar 347 grams; 1 ¾ cups
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 8 ounces pecans 227 grams; 2 cups, toasted and chopped
Frosting:
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 9 ounces confectioners' sugar 255 grams; 2 ¼ cups
- ½ cup cream of coconut check the mixers section of the liquor aisle
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 16 ounces cream cheese 454 grams, cut into 8 pieces and softened
Instructions
For the cake:
- Toast the coconut and the nuts in a 350-degree oven until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Watch carefully and stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the pans.
- Process the coconut in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute.
- Combine the coconut, buttermilk, and vanilla in 2-cup liquid measuring cup and let sit until the coconut is slightly softened, about 10 minutes; reserve.
Make the batter:
- Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the reserved coconut-buttermilk mixture, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Add ¾ cup of pecans and give the batter a final stir by hand.
Bake the cakes:
- Scrape equal amounts of batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 32 minutes.
- Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the pans, discarding the parchment, and cool completely, about 2 hours. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
Make the frosting:
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the butter and sugar on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cream of coconut, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Add the cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Frost the cake:
- When the cakes are cooled, place 1 round (flat side up) on a cardboard cake round placed on a revolving cake stand.
- Spread 1½ cups of frosting over the cake round.
- Top with the second cake round (flat side up) and spread the remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of the cake.
- Holding the cake with one hand over a rimmed baking dish, press the remaining pecans onto the sides of the cake.
- Finish the cake with a round of rosettes around the outer edge.
- Serve. (The cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)