Quick Italian Cream Cake (Printable)
Moist coconut-pecan layers topped with silky cream cheese frosting, ready in under an hour.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - ½ cup vegetable oil
08 - 3 large eggs
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
10 - 1 tsp almond extract
11 - 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
12 - ½ cup chopped pecans
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
13 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
14 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
15 - 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
17 - 2 tbsp milk as needed
→ Topping
18 - ¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted
19 - ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan or two 8-inch round cake pans.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, melted butter, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth and emulsified.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix gently just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Fold shredded coconut and chopped pecans into the batter until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Let cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
08 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until fluffy. Add milk as needed to achieve spreadable consistency.
09 - Spread frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Sprinkle toasted pecans and toasted coconut over the top.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of toasted pecans and sweet coconut creates the most incredible texture in every bite
- This cake somehow tastes even better on day two, making it perfect for make ahead desserts
02 -
- Cooling the cake completely before frosting prevents the cream cheese from melting into a sad puddle
- Toasting the nuts and coconut for the topping makes a huge difference in flavor and crunch
03 -
- Sift your powdered sugar before adding to the frosting to avoid any lumps
- Do not overmix the batter or your cake will become tough instead of tender