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Our youngest daughter first made this Italian Cream Layer Cake as a county fair project years ago. It boasts a tender and moist crumb, and is flavored with chopped pecans and coconut. Covered in a cream cheese frosting, it’s sure to please at your next holiday dinner.
Layer cakes are a wonderful addition to a holiday menu. Not only do they feed a large number, they are also quite pretty featured on a cake stand for all to see. Some people are intimidated at the thought of decorating a layer cake, but if I can do it, so can you. Please see my detailed instructions further down in this post.
I recently revisited this Italian Cake recipe that had been tucked away in my files for too long, and updated it with the addition of Fiori di Sicilia. This citrus and floral flavoring is lovely when added to cakes, cookies, and desserts, and can be purchased from King Arthur Baking Company. See more recipes that use Fiori di Sicilia Here.
If you are unable to purchase this flavoring option, you may simply substitute 1 teaspoon of almond extract in its place.
More Layer Cakes to Enjoy
- Carrot Cake with Pecans
- Chocolate Cream Cake
- Moist Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients for Italian Cream Layer Cake
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- butter, softened
- vegetable shortening
- granulated sugar
- large eggs, separated
- vanilla extract
- Fiori di Sicilia or Almond Extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- buttermilk
- sweetened flaked coconut
- chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting
- cream cheese, softened
- butter, softened
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- chopped pecans
- sweetened flaked coconut
Instructions for Making this Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather the ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Line three 9-in round cake pans with wax paper. Spray tops and sides with baking spray. If desired, wrap pans with baking strips as directed on package.
Prepare the Ingredients
Using a knife and cutting board or a nut chopper, chop the pecans into small pieces.
Carefully, separate the egg whites from the yolks and place both in their own bowls.
Make the Cake Batter
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, vegetable shortening, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the separated egg yolks along with the vanilla extract and Fiori di Sicilia flavoring.
In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, alternating with buttermilk. Beat just until combined.
Fold in the sweetened flaked coconut and chopped pecans.
In another large mixing bowl, whisk the separated egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the cake batter.
Divide and spoon cake batter into the three prepared baking pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened cream cheese and softened butter until fluffy. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended, about 2-3 minutes.
If the frosting seems too thick, add 1 tablespoon milk. If too thin, add 1/4 cup more powdered sugar as needed.
Assemble and Frost the Cake
To ice a layer cake, begin with the bottom layer, placing the top side down on the cake plate.
If desired, you may place strips of waxed paper around the bottom of the cake to prevent any icing smudges.
Divide the frosting into quarters, and spread 1/4 on the bottom layer. Next, place the second layer top side up and spread 1/4 of the frosting on this layer.
For the third layer, place the cake top side up and place the remaining frosting on the top. Spread frosting along the edges, being careful to fill any gaps on the sides of the cake.
Finish by decorating the top with chopped pecans and coconut.
I have decorated the top with a circle of pecans in the center and coconut along the edges, or vice-verse. Sometimes, I’ll cover the entire top with pecans and pat coconut along the sides of the cake. It’s your choice how you decorate.
Serve slices of cake with tea, coffee, or a glass of icy milk. This recipe will serve 12-16 people.
See more Cake Recipes Here. Browse Desserts Here.
Italian Cream Layer Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar (5-6 cups, as needed)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Gather the ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
- Line three 9-in round cake pans with wax paper. Spray tops and sides with baking spray. If desired, place cake baking strips on the outside of each pan, following product instructions.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Using a knife and cutting board or a nut chopper, chop the pecans into small pieces.
- Carefully, separate the egg whites from the yolks and place both in their own bowls.
Make the Cake Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, vegetable shortening, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the separated egg yolks along with the vanilla extract and Fiori di Sicilia flavoring.
- In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, alternating with buttermilk. Beat just until combined.
- Fold in the sweetened flaked coconut and chopped pecans.
- In another large mixing bowl, whisk the separated egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the cake batter.
- Pour cake batter into the three prepared baking pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened cream cheese and softened butter until fluffy. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended, about 2-3 minutes.
- If the frosting seems too thick, add 1 tablespoon milk. If too thin, add 1/4 cup more powdered sugar as needed.
Assemble and Frost the Cake
- To ice a layer cake, begin with the bottom layer, placing the top side down on the cake plate.
- (If desired, you may place strips of waxed paper around the bottom of the cake to prevent any icing smudges.)
- Divide the frosting into quarters, and spread 1/4 on the bottom layer. Next, place the second layer top side up and spread 1/4 of the frosting on this layer.
- For the third layer, place the cake top side up and place the remaining frosting on the top. Spread frosting along the edges, being careful to fill any gaps on the sides of the cake.
- Finish by decorating the top with chopped pecans and coconut, as desired.
- Serve slices of cake with tea, coffee, or a glass of icy milk. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to five days. This recipe will serve 12-16 people.
Notes
