Old Fashioned Italian Cream Cake Recipe

Italian Cream Cake is a moist layer cake made with buttermilk, shredded coconut, and pecans, frosted with cream cheese frosting. This southern inspired dessert is rich in flavors and textures.

Italian Cream Cake

This rich and flavorful cake is excellent for dessert at home or on a special occasion. I've also made this recipe for Italian Cream Cake for church potlucks, bridal showers, and birthday cakes. It's fancy enough for wedding and groom's cakes too. 

My family loves this Italian cake, so I sometimes make it for family get-togethers or take it to church. It's one of our favorite things and it's rare that the entire cake is not eaten.

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What is Italian Cream Cake?

Italian Cream Cake is a luscious, moist layer cake made with buttermilk, shredded coconut, and pecans It's a really soft, tender cake with the added texture of coconut and pecans. Between the cake layers is the best cream cheese frosting you'll ever eat. The homemade cake is often topped with toasted coconut and pecans. 

What does Italian Cream Cake Taste like?

Italian Cream Cake is sweet and slightly tangy. It consists of layers of moist cake with a combination of coconut and pecans. The cream cheese frosting adds a bit of tanginess to balance the sweetness. The cake is soft, and the nuts add a little crunch, making it rich but not overly sweet.

Many recipes claiming to be "authentic Italian Cream Cake recipes" include almond extract. Having said that, I've tried a few different Italian Cream Cake recipes, and this one I'm sharing today is my favorite—but it has rum or rum extract and no almond extract. Some other recipes only have vanilla extract. 

The basic flavors are pecans, coconut, buttermilk, and cream cheese frosting. Then,you can add the extracts you like the most to make it appeal to your tastes and enjoy the best Italian Cream Cake recipe (for you!). Need an easy Italian Cream Cake recipe? Try my Italian Cream Cake with cake mix.

Supplies Needed

• 8-inch round cake pans (Magic Line are the best round pans). You can use 9-inch cake pans if that's all you have but your layers will be thinner. You can also bake this in a 9x13 inch sheet pan if you like.
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Small bowl
• Large bowl
• Electric Mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer)
• Nonstick baking spray or cake goop
• Parchment Paper
• Small offset spatula
• Piping bag and tip (if you choose to decorate)
• Wire rack

Ingredients

The ingredients for this Italian Cream Cheese Cake recipe are all common and easily found at your local grocery store.

Italian Cream Cake Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Butter, at room temperature - I use salted butter, but unsalted butter works just as well.
• Granulated Sugar
• Large Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Rum Extract (not pictured, optional)
• Buttermilk
• Chopped Pecans
• Shredded Coconut

Frosting

• Butter, at room temperature
• Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• Vanilla Extract
• Coconut Extract (not pictured)
• Rum Extract (not pictured, optional)
• Powdered Sugar (or confectioners' sugar)
• Pecans and Coconut for topping (optional)

Want to fancy up your cake a little more? Use these Coconut Chips or Toasted Coconut on top of your cake!

And the very best price on pecans is found at Sam's Club - grab a discounted membership here.

Find the full recipe with ingredients measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make an Italian Cream Cake

This Italian Cream Cake recipe is packed with the flavors of vanilla and rum, and the textures of coconut and pecans. Add on the decadent cream cheese frosting, and this case is irresistible. 

Cake Batter

1. Preheat oven to 325º and prepare two 8x2 inch cake pans.*
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed until light.
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
5. Beat in half the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then the second half of the flour mixture until fully combined.
6. Stir in pecans and coconut.
7. Divide cake batter evenly and pour batter into the two prepared pans.
8. Bake in center of preheated oven for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and it's golden brown on top.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
10. Use a knife or spatula to loosen cake from sides of pan, and turn onto a cooling rack.
11. Let cool completely.

 *Note on the cake pans: I like to line the bottom of my cake pan with a circle of parchment paper. It just helps keep the crumbs down, and almost guarantees that it releases from the pan cleanly. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese until completely smooth. 
2. Add the remaining frosting ingredients to the creamed mixture (except coconut and pecans) and mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, and don't whip too much air into it. This will be a very creamy and thick frosting.

Assembling the Cake

1. When the cake is completely cool, trim the tops to level if needed.
2. Spread a small bit of the cream cheese icing on a cake plate, and place a layer of cooled cake, bottom side down on the cake plate.
3. Spread about a cup of frosting on the first cake layer, then center place cake on top of the first, top side down.
4. Spread frosting over the sides of the cake, bringing frosting up above the top of the cake. You want it to stick up so you can spread it toward the center of the cake later.
5. Smooth sides of the cake.
6. Use an icing spatula to spread icing from the side of the cake to the center of the top of the cake to create a smooth corner.
7. When frosting is smoothed to your satisfaction, pipe decorations over the top (I used a Wilton 2D star tip on the cake shown), and sprinkle the coconut cake with chopped pecans and coconut.

Pro Tips

• All ingredients shoud be at room temperature for the best results!
• Line the bottom cake pans with a circle of parchment paper for fewer crumbs and a clean release. See my blog post on the best way to line a pan here.
• Grab a bench scraper if you want a really smooth finish on the outside of your cake.
• I used these coconut chips to garnish the top of my cake for a more dramatic finish.

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerate: Because of the cream cheese frosting, any leftover cake should be stored in the refrigerator. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out or absorbing fridge odors.
• Storage Duration: The cake will stay fresh for about 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to bring it to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
• Freezing: If you want to store the cake for longer, you can freeze it. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw the cake in the fridge overnight before serving. You can also cut and freeze individual slices to thaw when you need a quick dessert for one or two.

FAQ

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