Italian Cream Cake with Toasted Pecans and Cream Cheese Frosting

Italian cream cake is a rich, tender layer cake studded with coconut and pecans and slathered in tangy cream cheese frosting.

It’s the kind of cake that shows up at celebrations, potlucks, and Sunday dinners, and it always disappears fast.

Why This Cake Keeps Making the Cut

The buttermilk in this recipe gives the crumb a softness that lasts for days, even in the fridge.

The frosting is a classic cream cheese buttercream, just sweet enough to balance the tang without being heavy. Toasting the pecans keeps their flavor front and center so they don’t get lost in the batter.

This is the version I keep coming back to when I want a homemade layer cake that feels special but comes together without any fussy steps.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
• 1 tsp baking soda: makes sure the cake rises
• 1/2 tsp salt: fine sea salt or table salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened: let it sit out for about 30 minutes
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar: plain white sugar works best
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature: take them out when you set out the butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: pure vanilla gives a cleaner flavor
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature: full-fat for the tenderest crumb
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut: the moist flakes from the baking aisle
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted: toasting deepens their flavor
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened: use the block, not the spreadable tub
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened: for the frosting
• 4 cups powdered sugar: sifted if it’s lumpy
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: for the frosting
• Pinch of salt: balances the sweetness
• Extra toasted coconut and pecans: for decorating the outside

Variations / Substitutions

• Swap pecans for walnuts: the cake will be a little earthier but just as good.
• Use unsweetened shredded coconut: you get a slightly less sweet cake with a finer texture. Reduce the coconut to 3/4 cup since it’s drier.
• Add lemon zest: a teaspoon of lemon zest in the frosting cuts the richness nicely.
• Try browned butter in the frosting: brown half the butter and let it cool before beating for a nuttier depth.

If you love layered cakes with a Southern feel, the classic hummingbird cake hits a lot of the same notes.

How To Make Italian Cream Cake

Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans, then dust them with a little flour and tap out the excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt until evenly combined.

The flour mixture should look uniform, with no visible lumps of baking soda or salt.

Starting with room-temperature butter and eggs helps the batter come together smoothly and keeps the cake from turning out dense.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, beat the 1/2 cup softened butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then mix in 1 tsp vanilla.

The mixture will turn pale yellow and increase in volume, and you should not see any streaks of butter.

Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice. This step builds the structure that holds all that coconut and pecans later.

Step 3: Alternate the Wet and Dry

With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the 1 cup buttermilk. Begin and end with the flour, and mix just until the batter looks smooth. Fold in 1 cup shredded coconut and 1 cup chopped toasted pecans by hand with a spatula.

The batter will be thick and speckled with the coconut and pecans, and it smells sweet and nutty right away.

Don’t keep mixing once the flour is barely incorporated, or the cake can turn out tough. A few small streaks or lumps are fine.

Step 4: Bake the Layers

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.

The tops will spring back lightly when you press them, and the edges will pull away from the sides of the pans just a bit.

Let the layers cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn them out and let them cool completely before you frost them. Frosting warm layers will melt the frosting into a mess.

Step 5: Beat the Frosting

In a clean bowl, beat the 8 oz softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter until smooth and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low until combined, then turn the speed up and whip until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable, about 2 more minutes.

The finished frosting should hold soft peaks and spread easily without sliding. If it feels too stiff, add a teaspoon of milk at a time.

Using full-fat block cream cheese instead of the spreadable kind gives the frosting the best body and keeps it from getting runny.

Step 6: Frost and Garnish the Cake

Place one completely cooled cake layer on a serving plate and spread about 3/4 cup of frosting over the top. Repeat with the second layer and more frosting. Top with the third layer, then frost the top and sides of the assembled cake.

For a finished look, press handfuls of the extra toasted coconut and chopped pecans onto the sides or scatter them across the top.

Chill the cake for 30 minutes before slicing to help the layers hold together. Serve it at room temperature so the frosting is soft and the cake is at its tenderest.

A Few Things That Help

• Toast the pecans: in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, just until they smell nutty. Cool them completely before folding them into the batter.
• Use full-fat buttermilk: for the softest crumb. Low-fat works too, but the cake won’t be quite as tender.
• Weigh your pans: if you have a kitchen scale. Dividing the batter evenly means all three layers bake at the same rate.
• If the frosting is too sweet, add an extra pinch of salt. It will balance the sugar without making the frosting salty.

Bake times for different pans:

Keeping It Fresh

• Refrigerate: Cover leftover cake loosely and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let slices sit out for about 30 minutes before eating so the cake softens and the frosting loses its chill.
• Serve Cold: The cake tastes fine straight from the fridge, but the texture is noticeably better when it’s closer to room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to toast the pecans?

No, but untoasted pecans taste milder and can get a little soft inside the cake. Toasting keeps them crunchy and brings out their nutty flavor.

Why did my frosting turn out runny?

You probably used cream cheese from a tub instead of the solid block. Spreadable cream cheese has more moisture and makes frosting loose. Always buy the block style.

Can I freeze Italian cream cake?

Yes. Wrap the unfrosted layers tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, then frost and decorate. The frosted cake freezes well too if you wrap it carefully.

Can I leave out the coconut?

You can, but the cake loses its signature texture. Replace the coconut with an extra 1/2 cup of toasted pecans to keep it from feeling too plain.

Italian Cream Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 650

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Extra toasted coconut and pecans for decorating

Method

 

1. Heat oven to 350°F, grease three 9-inch round cake pans, and whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla.
3. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk on low speed, then fold in coconut and toasted pecans.
4. Divide batter into pans and bake 22 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
5. Beat cream cheese and butter smooth, then add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and whip until fluffy.
6. Frost between layers and around the outside, then coat with extra coconut and pecans. Chill 30 minutes, then serve at room temperature.

Notes

Let the cake layers cool all the way to the touch before frosting. Cooling takes about an hour and isn’t counted in the prep or cook time above.