Italian Cream Cake

Ooo yes 😍 — Italian Cream Cake: Southern classic, not actually Italian, 100% irresistible.

This is the bakery-style, ultra-moist, coconut-pecan masterpiece with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

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🍰 Italian Cream Cake

🧁 Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 2 cups sugar

• 5 large eggs, separated

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

• 1 cup chopped pecans

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🍥 Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 oz cream cheese, softened

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

• 5–6 cups powdered sugar (to taste)

• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prep

   • Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C

   • Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans (or two thicker layers)

2. Dry ingredients

   • Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt

3. Cream fats + sugar

   • Beat butter, oil, and sugar until fluffy

4. Egg yolks

   • Add yolks one at a time

   • Mix in vanilla

5. Alternate

   • Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately

   • Mix just until combined

6. Fold-ins

   • Stir in coconut and pecans

7. Egg whites

   • Beat whites to stiff peaks

   • Gently fold into batter (this makes it cloud-soft)

8. Bake

   • 25–30 minutes

   • Toothpick comes out clean

9. Cool completely before frosting

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🍥 Frosting

• Beat cream cheese + butter until smooth

• Add powdered sugar gradually

• Mix in vanilla + salt

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🎂 Assemble

• Frost between layers, top, and sides

• Press extra pecans onto sides if you’re feeling fancy

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🧠 Pro Tips

• Toast pecans for deeper flavor

• Chill cake 30 minutes before slicing for clean cuts

• This cake tastes even better the next day

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If you want, I can:

• Make it extra-moist bakery style

• Turn it into cupcakes or a sheet cake

• Add a coconut-cream filling

• Or write a vintage church-cookbook intro