Italian Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

This three-layer Italian cake made with buttery pecans and topped with coconut cream cheese frosting is a family Christmas favorite.

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 616 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
• 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups chopped pecans
• 5 large eggs, separated, divided
• 10 cups powdered sugar, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

Step 2

Cream sugar and butter for cake in a large bowl. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, until incorporated.

Step 3

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl; gradually add to wet ingredients. Slowly add buttermilk and vanilla; mix well. Stir in coconut and pecans.

Step 4

Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cake batter, and pour into the prepared cake pans.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator or freezer while you make the frosting.

Step 6

Combine cream cheese and butter for frosting in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar and mix to desired consistency. Mix in 1 cup shredded coconut, reserving the rest to decorate the sides of the cake. Place frosting in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

Step 7

Frost the tops of each cake layer, then stack the layers and frost the sides. Press reserved coconut onto the sides of the cake.