My Italian cream cake recipe is easy and delicious. Although this traditional Southern cake is not very well known, it is full of flavor: with coconut, pecans, and cream cheese frosting, this cake is one of my favorites. Best of all, this recipe is super easy because I make it by doctoring up a box of cake mix. If you want to learn more, keep reading!
Italian Cream Cake History
Not much is known about the origin of Italian cream cake. The first mention of this recipe is from Texas in 1937, so most food historians assume that an Italian baker who was living in the southern United States invented the cake in the early 1900’s.
Looking at Google Trends data confirms that this cake is very regional. The majority of Internet searches are located in the western half of the Southeastern United States: Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Alabama. There is also interest in the Carolinas and Appalachia, as well as some in the Great Lakes region. But there is no doubt that the vast majority of interest in the cake appears to be in the South.
The data also shows that Italian cream cake is popular around the holidays, Google Trends showing a surge in interest around Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have heard that Italian cream cake is a popular Christmas cake, so the data does not surprise me.
It should be no surprise that Italian cream cake is a southern cake because it has three things that many southern layers cakes have: pecans, coconut, and cream cheese frosting. Basically, the cake is a white or yellow cake with coconut and pecans, usually topped with cream cheese frosting. It is also very common to add coconut and pecans to the cream cheese frosting itself.
I had heard of this cake but never tried it, so when I realized that it had so many things I liked, I knew I had to make it.
Italian Cream Cake with Cake Mix
After doing some research, I decided to make my own Italian cream cake recipe. I like easy recipes, so I decided to start with a box of cake mix. As with most southern cakes, I added buttermilk to make the cake light and fluffy. Sweetened coconut, along with a box of vanilla pudding, may have made the cake too sweet, but a tablespoon of vinegar helped to balance out the added sweetness.
Although you could add the pecans and coconut straight from the bag, I decided to toast them. Toasting nuts and shredded coconut is an added step, but the added flavor is well worth it. Honestly, in my opinion, there is no comparison between toasted and untoasted. It only takes a few minutes in the oven, so toasting the coconut and pecans really isn’t a big deal.
After baking the cake, letting the layers cool, and removing them from the pans, it was time for the icing. Cream cheese icing is common on many southern layer cakes, but this cake is a bit different because shredded coconut and pecans are added to the frosting, too. I used my no butter cream cheese recipe as the base, adding about 1/4 cup each coconut and pecans to the icing. I then put about another 1/4 cup each on top of the cake as decoration. Once again, I toasted the coconut and pecans before using them in the recipe.
Once the cake was assembled, I put it in the refrigerator for a few hours before sampling.
Italian Cream Cake Recipe Review
Even though I knew the cake was going to be good, I didn’t expect it to be that good. My Italian cream cake was one of the best cakes I had ever eaten. It had the perfect balance between the flavors of vanilla, pecans, coconut, and cream cheese.
I also liked the combination of textures. The cake itself was light and fluffy, and the pecans and coconut added the perfect amount of crunch. The combination of smooth cream cheese and toasted mix-ins gave the frosting the same delicious texture.
Although this cake was absolutely delicious, I do have one critique: the frosting was just a tad bit dry. Toasting dries out shredded coconut, so I think that the coconut absorbed a lot of the liquid in the cream cheese, making the frosting drier than normal. However, the dryness did not take away from the deliciousness of the cake, so other people eating my cake probably would not have noticed. The cake layers had coconut as well, but I did not find them dry, so like I said, the dryness was nothing major. If you really wanted to make the frosting perfect, I would add a teaspoon or two of milk or cream.
Honestly, this Italian cream cake was absolutely fantastic. Because I started with a box of cake mix, this recipe was easy, simple, and quick. I think that the key is toasting the pecans and coconut: the extra step is well worth it. If you make this cake for Christmas, Easter, or any other day, I know you will fall in love with it at first bite.
Italian Cream Cake Recipe
Italian Cream Cake Recipe
Notes
To Toast the Pecans:
Bake pecans at 350 F for 3 minutes, remove from oven and stir, then bake another 3 minutes
To Toast the Coconut:
Bake coconut at 350F for 3 minutes, stir, 3 minutes, stir, 1 minute, stir, then 1 minute (total 8 min)
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box white cake mix
- 1 small box of instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (60g)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted (60g)
- 1 cup buttermilk (240g)
- 1/4 cup water (60g)
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter (about 56 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
- 1 pound (454g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted (60g) — about 1/4 cup for frosting, 1/4 cup for top of cake
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (60g) — about 1/4 cup for frosting, 1/4 cup for top of cake
Instructions
- Mix ingredients in a large bowl, then beat for about 1-2 minutes until combined.
- Pour batter into 8-inch cake pans and bake at 325 F for 45 minutes.
- Prepare cream cheese frosting, then add coconut and pecans
- Top cake with remaining pecans and coconut
- Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours before serving
YouTube Video
Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:
Links
Info about origin:
https://www.oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog/?p=7565
Google Trends:
https://trends.google.com/trends/?geo=US
