Quick Italian Cream Cake

Here’s a quick and easy Italian Cream Cake recipe for you:

Ingredients:

• Cake:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Frosting:
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

For the Cake:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
2. Cream Butter, Oil, and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add Egg Yolks: Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda.
5. Alternate Dry Ingredients with Buttermilk: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Fold in Coconut and Pecans: Gently fold in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
7. Beat Egg Whites: In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter.
8. Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

1. Cream Butter and Cream Cheese: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
2. Add Powdered Sugar and Vanilla: Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread frosting over the top. Repeat with the second and third layers. Frost the sides of the cake.
4. Decorate: Press chopped pecans onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle some on top if desired.
5. Serve: Slice and enjoy your Italian Cream Cake!

Tips:

• For extra flavor, toast the pecans before adding them to the cake and frosting.
• Make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.

Enjoy your baking!