Italian Cream Cake

This has been a Drennan family favorite for years!  I can't believe I haven't put this on the blog yet.  I make this pretty often throughout the year.  I have several friends who ask me to make it for their birthday especially my friend Joy.

My Mom made this many many times growing up it’s so moist and just a really good cake.

This cake has coconut and pecans in the cake with a cream cheese icing.  I add coconut on top and a few chopped pecans. 

The only thing that is different about this cake then most is you add the egg yolks to the main mixture then you whip the egg whites separately and fold them into the main batter at the end.  

If you do not have buttermilk you can use 1 cup of milk and add about a tablespoon of vinegar to the milk and watch it curdle in front of your eyes. Takes about 3-5 minutes for it to curdle.

I always make a 3 layer cake but I also make cupcakes! 

Cream together butter and sugar

add egg yolk and mix well

add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately then add pecans and coconut

whip your egg whites until they form a peak

this is what they should look like

fold in egg whites to cake mixture by using a spatula

evenly pour into 3 cake pans that have been greased and floured and bake

I ice the cake between the layers and then I ice the sides and top

Ice with the cream cheese icing recipe below and if you like top with coconut and pecans

I ran out of coconut but I would normally top with coconut and chopped pecans 

Italian Cream Cake

1 stick of butter

½ cup of Crisco

2 cups of sugar

5 egg yolks

2 cups of flour

1 tsp soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 small can of coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

5 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease (shortening) and flour 3 9” round pans

Cream butter & shortening add egg yolks and sugar.

Add flour & soda alternately with buttermilk add vanilla, coconut

And pecans.

Whip egg whites until stiff then fold in to mixture above by hand.

Pour into 3 pans using equal parts

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

Cream Cheese Icing

1 8oz cream cheese softened

2 sticks of butter softened

Powder sugar about 2/3’ of a bag

1 tsp vanilla

Chopped pecans

Cream together softened cream cheese and butter then add powder sugar

A little at a time then add vanilla.

You can add 2 T of milk if it’s too thick.

After cake is completely cooled ice cake and then add coconut to top and

Sides and a few pecans (chopped) on top if you would like.