Quick Italian Cream Cake (Print Version)
Tender coconut-pecan cake with creamy frosting ready in under an hour.
# What You 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
# Preparation Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan or two 8-inch round cake pans.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In another 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 in sweetened shredded coconut and chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
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 - Allow cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
08 - Beat cream cheese and softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until fluffy. Add milk as needed to achieve spreadable consistency.
09 - Frost the cooled cake evenly. Sprinkle with toasted pecans and coconut on top.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This cake manages to taste like it spent all day in the oven while coming together in under an hour
- The combination of almond and vanilla extracts creates this incredibly comforting aroma that fills your whole kitchen
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are nonnegotiable for the frosting or you will end up with lumps
- The cake continues cooking slightly after you pull it from the oven, so do not overbake
03 -
- Toast your pecans and coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, watching closely so they do not burn
- Add a tablespoon of coffee to your frosting for a subtle depth that no one can quite identify