Layers of soft, sweet cake studded with toasted pecans and shredded coconut are frosted with a homemade cream cheese pecan and toasted coconut frosting for a rustic and satisfying finish to this classic Southern dessert. Its unique flavor profile and textures make this a layer cake that truly stands out from the rest.
Despite the name, Italian cream cake is actually a Southern dessert, not one that hails from Italy. No one is entirely sure how it got its unusual moniker. But just a quick glance at the ingredient list is enough to let you know it’s a classic southern bake.
Toasted pecans? Check. Buttermilk? You betcha. Cream cheese frosting? Darn tootin.
In my humble opinion, this is the best Italian cream cake recipe on the internets for a few key reasons. First, there’s just a hint of almond extract in the cake layers and the frosting. It’s not enough to overwhelm but adds depth, sweetness, and interest that not all other versions have.
Second, instead of fussy decorating techniques or piping, I said “to heck with it” and just added my toasted coconut and chopped pecans right into a batch of cream cheese frosting and slathered it on nice and thick for a homey, rustic charm that is more fitting to this cake style than a more refined approach.
And third, it’s made completely from scratch with a whole lotta love. What more could you want?
What You’ll Need
This is a brief overview of the ingredients and tools you will need to bake an Italian cream cake. Be sure to scroll down to the printable recipe card below for full measurements and instructions.
- All-purpose flour: No need to buy a special package of cake flour for this one. The crumb is perfectly moist and soft but still holds up to the chopped pecans.
- Pecans: Start with whole pecan halves and toast them yourself before chopping to add to the cake batter and frosting. The extra effort of toasting them makes a world of difference, so don’t skip it.
- Shredded Sweetened Coconut: You’ll use some of your coconut in the cake itself, then toast some more for adding to the frosting. It adds a fantastic texture and flavor without turning the whole thing into a coconut cake with pecans.
- Cream Cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese and letting it soften before making your frosting for best results.
- Eggs: After recipe testing a few different approaches to this cake, I found that separating the egg yolks and whites and beating the whites to fold into the cake batter gives the best, most authentic results instead of adding the whole eggs all at once.
- Almond Extract: You can make this cake without it and it’s still going to taste delicious, but trust me that it adds that little something extra that everybody loves without being overpowering.
- Salted Butter: I always use salted butter in my baking. If using unsalted butter, just add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt for each stick of butter.
- Buttermilk: One of the most overlooked ingredients in a lot of kitchen! It tenderizes and flavors the cake crumb in such a unique way. You can make an easy substitution with milk and vinegar or lemon juice if you don’t have any buttermilk handy though.
You will also want an electric mixer, a baking sheet or pan for toasting coconut and pecans, and 8-inch cake pans.
Let’s Get Baking!
- Toast the pecans and part of the coconut. Go ahead and toast the pecans for both the cake and the frosting right up front so that step is out of the way. It just takes 6-8 minutes in a 350°F oven until they start smelling nutty and warm. This can also be done in a dry pan on the stovetop over medium heat for 3-5 minutes–just be sure to stir or shake them frequently so they don’t burn. Then let the pecans cool and chop them up to use in the recipe. Go ahead and toast the coconut for the frosting (not the coconut for the batter) but spreading it onto a baking sheet and baking for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring it partway through.
- Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk. These two ingredients react and get foamy, so use a medium bowl and let them get friendly for 5-10 minutes while working on the rest of the cake batter.
- Separate egg yolks and egg whites. You can use any method you like. I prefer the old-fashioned approach of cracking the egg and carefully transferring the yolk between the two halves of the shell to separate it from the egg white. You’ll need both yolks and whites though, so don’t get rid of them!
- Cream wet ingredients. Start by creaming the softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes until creamy and light. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract, then beat again, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring on medium-low speed just until combined. You don’t want to overwork your cake batter or the cake can turn out dense and dry instead of light and moist. I like to alternate adding half of the dry ingredients with half of the liquid mixture to make sure everything gets mixed in evenly.
- Add buttermilk mixture. Now is the time to add the foamy buttermilk and baking soda mixture. Remember not to overmix and be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Stir in chopped pecans and coconut. I use regular sweetened coconut, not toasted coconut, for the cake batter. I also prefer these pecans a little more coarsely chopped than the nuts I use in the frosting.
- Beat egg whites. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites that you set aside earlier until they are foamy and light.
- Fold in the egg whites. (Cue the clip from “Schitt’s Creek” about how to fold something in.) I have found that by adding roughly ¼ of the egg whites first instead of all of them at once, it helps to lighten and loosen the cake batter enough to more easily fold in the rest of the egg whites. To fold, just scrape the cake batter off the bottom of the bowl and lift and turn it over on top of the egg whites. Cut through the middle of the egg whites, lifting and turning the batter again, repeating the process until the egg whites are mostly incorporated without stirring and knocking out the air that was added to the egg whites.
- Bake. Evenly divide the cake batter between three 8-inch cake pans that have been lined with a circle of parchment paper on the bottom and sprayed with baking spray. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Using Different Pan Sizes
9-inch cake pans: I would only use 2 pans instead of 3. The layers will be thicker and take slightly longer to bake. You could slice them in half horizontally for a 4-layer cake or just do two thicker layers.
Sheet pan: Want to skip layering? Just bake the whole thing in a 9×13-inch baking dish and frost it on top, easy-peasy. Baking time is around 35 to 40 minutes.
Cupcakes: You could also turn this recipe into cupcakes. Bake for about 18-20 minutes.
- Make frosting. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat just until combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Stir in the remaining chopped pecans (chop them slightly finer than the ones you used for the batter) and toasted coconut.
Pro Tip: Unlike other frostings, cream cheese frosting tends to get thinner and runnier the longer you beat it rather than fluffier. Don’t overmix this frosting or it might get too soft to easily work with.
- Assemble. Level the cake layers, if needed, then place the bottom layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting in an even layer over the cake, then top with another cake round. Add another layer of frosting, followed by the third cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Recipe FAQ’s
If you aren’t used to making cakes from scratch, a common complaint is that they aren’t as moist as a box cake mix. To make sure your cake doesn’t turn out dry, measure your flour carefully (if possible, always go by the weight measurements listed). Also, do not overbake. You want to be able to still see crumbs on your tester when you pull it out of the cake instead of having it come out completely clean.
Technically, sure, the recipe will turn out without either of these additions, but it won’t be an Italian cream cake at that point.
Yes, these are a great substitute for the pecans and frequently used in Italian cream cake recipes.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, just add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill it the rest of the way with milk. Let this sit for 5 minutes before using in place of the buttermilk. Another option would be to mix ¾ cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt with ¼ cup of milk.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- Storage: You can leave this cake out on the counter overnight even with the cream cheese frosting. There is plenty of sugar to help preserve the frosting at room temperature for that length of time. For longer storage, I recommend storing this cake in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just be sure to cover it well with plastic wrap and let it come to room temperature before serving for best results.
- Freezing: This cake freezes well. I like to slice it and freeze individual slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 2-3 hours until firm, then wrap the slices well in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw completely and come to room temperature before serving.
More Cake Recipes
- Biscoff Cookie Butter Cake
- Marble Cake
- Vintage Cherry Chip Cake
- Devil’s Food Cake
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Italian Cream Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves or walnuts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs separated
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups (282g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Frosting
- 2 (8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 8 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup toasted coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles and spray with cooking spray.
- Spread both the pecans for the cake and the frosting on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes until toasted and fragrant. Remove and cool before chopping.1 ½ cups pecan halves
- In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and baking soda. Set aside for 5 minutes to foam and almost double in volume.1 cup buttermilk, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl for 3-4 minutes until fluffy and light. Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat again, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.1 cup salted butter, 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, 5 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Add half of the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing just until incorporated. It's okay for streaks of flour to remain. Add half of the buttermilk and baking soda mixture and mix again. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk, mixing just until combined and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Stir in the toasted pecans and coconut.2 cups (282g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Beat the egg whites until light and fluffy in a separate bowl using an electric mixer. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter. I like to add half of the beaten egg whites first, then the rest of them once that is mostly mixed in.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to them. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before assembling the cake.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl until combined. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix just until everything starts to come together. Add the chopped pecans and toasted coconut. Continue mixing until spreadable and smooth. The longer you mix cream cheese frosting, the thinner it will get, even without adding cream or milk, so don't continue beating this frosting thinking it will get fluffier the more you beat it.2 (8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese, 1 cup salted butter, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 8 cups powdered sugar, ¾ cup chopped pecans, 1 cup toasted coconut
- Level the cake levels, if needed, then assemble each cake layer and frost with a generous amount of the frosting. Add a crumb coat, then chill in the freezer for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat. Frosting with the remaining frosting, then serve.
Notes
- Storage: You can leave this cake out on the counter overnight even with the cream cheese frosting. There is plenty of sugar to help preserve the frosting at room temperature for that length of time. For longer storage, I recommend storing this cake in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just be sure to cover it well with plastic wrap and let it come to room temperature before serving for best results.
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- Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, just add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill it the rest of the way with milk. Let this sit for 5 minutes before using in place of the buttermilk. Another option would be to mix ¾ cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt with ¼ cup of milk.
Way to expensive! To many items to purchase and only use some of it !
I definitely don’t encourage wasting ingredients. You can always freeze buttermilk, cream cheese, and pecans to make them last longer if you only use some of it and have leftovers that won’t be used up before expiring, for what it’s worth. But I do think many people are okay with a little extra expense for something special like a cake. It’s certainly less than if you were to buy a ready-made cake from a bakery (and tastes much better homemade anyway). Sorry this one wasn’t for you!