Italian Cream Cake with Pecan Cream Cheese Icing
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This cake is in my top 10 favorite desserts of all time. It’s pillowy soft, moist, and just all around perfect. Top it with a pecan studded cream cheese frosting and you’ll bring back an empty pan every time.
Y’all know I’m usually all about making a recipe your own and substituting what you have on hand for what you don’t. With this easy Italian cream cake recipe, though, if at all possible, I strongly encourage you to stick as close to my ingredients list and instructions as you can. Make a trip to the grocery store if need be because the end result is more than worth it!
This is the perfect cake for any special get-together: Thanksgiving, bridal shower, birthdays, or “just because”. Whenever you make it, you’ll most certainly be required to make it again as the question will arise: “Is grandma/aunt/sister making her Italian cream cake this year?”. So get ready to start a new tradition.
Why is this cake so special? Well, it’s tender, light, moist, and totally melts in your mouth. It’s also filled with a flavor you can only get from a special “from scratch” Italian cake recipe. It has hints of vanilla, coconut, and pecan to make a cake that’s to die for. Fortunately, though, there isn’t a lot of fuss involved so there is nothing to deter you from adopting this as your signature special occasion cake. Not that I’m hinting at anything…
Recipe Ingredients
To make this amazingly wonderful cake that your family and friends really and truly deserve a chance to enjoy, you’ll need:
Italian Cream Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Whole buttermilk
- Solid vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
- Baking soda
- Butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Coconut flakes
Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese (visit this post to learn how easy it is to make cream cheese at home).
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Butter flavoring (optional)
- Chopped pecans
How to Make Italian Cream Cake
Place butter, shortening, and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined and fluffy.
Please please please please please make sure your cream cheese (for the icing) and butter are at room temperature in this recipe. Do you know how I tell y’all not to fret over little details like this in most of my recipes? Well, if I tell you it’s time to get particular, get particular. This is an easy one to do, though. I just set my butter and cream cheese out as soon as I get up in the morning so they are room temp by mid to late morning and that is when I make this cake.
Add your eggs. This recipe calls for five large eggs. You don’t need to add each individually, just toss them all in.
Beat eggs really well, scraping down the sides as needed. Already, this cake batter is like rich smooth velvet, but it’s about to get even better.
In a separate bowl, stir your baking soda into your flour.
Add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture and mix until well blended, about a minute.
Add in the shredded coconut and vanilla extract and mix again until incorporated and the cake batter is nice and creamy. Oh, what a lovely batter this is!
Spread the cake mix into a greased 9×13 cake pan.
If you want to get fancy you can make this in two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans but I mean, we have already made this cake from scratch and I’m just a 9×13 girl.
Bake this at 350 for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If you are baking it in round pans it will bake for about 25-30 minutes but you’ll need to keep an eye on it and still test for doneness.
How to make the pecan cream cheese frosting
Once it is done, let it cool completely, and then make your cream cheese frosting and ice the cooled cake.
Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the flavorings and about half of the sugar and mix again, scraping down sides as needed, until sugar is well incorporated. Add remaining sugar and mix until a nice fluffy icing is formed, again scraping down sides as needed (about one to two minutes). Mix in the chopped pecans and then spread it over the cake.
You can make it into a (or two or three) if you want a layer cake, but I love it in a 9×13 pan!
Top with some coconut and pecans if you want. Then cover with foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge until serving time.
ENJOY this cake, and enjoy watching everyone else enjoy it, too! This Italian cream cake is one of a kind and such a delicious treat. Great for potlucks, weekday entertaining, and more.
Storage
- Store this cake, well covered in or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to a week or at room temperature for up to two days. You can eat it cold from the fridge, or let it warm up on the counter for 30 minutes or so before serving.
- This Italian cake is also freezer-friendly. Simply take your cooled cake and place it in a freezer-friendly container. Then freeze for 3 to 4 months. Remove a slice or two and allow to thaw on the counter for a quick thaw. Or place the cake in the fridge overnight to thaw.
Recipe Notes
- Now, I say use the “best quality vanilla you can find” and I mean that just as I say it. If you open up your pantry and the best you can find is imitation vanilla, well then use it. If you have this amazing vanilla extract that you just love to use, then use that.
- When you sprinkle the chopped pecans on top, feel free to add some sweetened flaked coconut as well. If you want to go over the top, opt for toasted coconut and toasted pecans to enhance the flavor.
- On the other hand, if you’re not on team coconut, you can totally leave it out. I won’t tell!
Recipe FAQs
What is an Italian cream cake?
Italian cream cake is a moist and decadent vanilla sponge cake that is filled with coconut flavor in each bite. It’s then topped with a coconut and pecan frosting that is out of this world. An ultra-moist and decadent homemade cake.
Why is it called Italian cream cake?
No one actually knows why it’s called Italian cream cake, as it’s actually not Italian but Southern. Yep, this cake recipe first appeared in publications in the southeastern US, so the most logical theory is that an Italian immigrant baker created the recipe.
Why do I need softened cream cheese for the frosting?
Cream cheese is pretty stiff and thick on its own. Allowing your cream cheese to become room temperature allows you to cream the cheese so it is ultra-creamy. If you don’t allow it to soften, it will be hard to mix up and clumpy.
Check out these other delicious homemade cake recipes:
Like Kentucky Butter Cake? Try This Coffee Butter Cake
Easy Birthday Cake Recipe From Scratch
Ingredients
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Cream Cheese Icing:
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temp
- 1/2 cup butter at room temp
- 3.5-4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon butter flavoring optional
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9×13 pan by spraying it with cooking spray and then setting it aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the shortening, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well until smooth, scraping sides as needed (about two minutes).½ cup shortening, ½ cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 5 large eggs
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour and baking soda. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the egg mixture and mix until well blended and completely smooth (about two more minutes). Add in the coconut and vanilla extract and mix until well incorporated.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To make cream cheese icing
- Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the flavorings and about half of the sugar and mix again, scraping down sides as needed, until sugar is well incorporated. Add remaining sugar and mix until a nice fluffy icing is formed, again scraping down sides as needed (about one to two minutes). Mix in the chopped pecans. Ice the cooled cake.8 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 3.5-4 cups confectioner’s sugar, 1-2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon butter flavoring, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Store this cake, well covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week or at room temp for up to two days.
Nutrition
This recipe was published in 2015. I updated the photos and post in 2020.
Hey Christy: The Italian Cream Cake is my #1 favorite cake of ALL TIME. My family always made these and I have made them for co-workers bdays. Even one of my co-workers who says she doesn’t like coconut loves this cake. I put pecans in the batter and cherries. One main difference I noticed was how you did the eggs. My recipe you separate the eggs and beat the whites then fold them in last. I’ve often wondered if it really makes a difference. Tell me about that and what you think? I’ve never tried making it , by just adding the eggs whole. That would definitely make it a little faster and less fussy. I hope you and all your family have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.
I have never made it separating the eggs, I am not sure how much difference it would make but if you try it this way I would love to hear what you think.
Can you make this without coconut?
Hey! you sure can. No modifications are needed, just omit it. Thank you!
Wouldn’t separating the eggs, beating the whites and folding them in at the end make for a fluffier cake? I would imagine so.
My original recipe instructs to separate the eggs and fold in the beaten egg whites last. It makes it moist and light. Italian cream cake is one of my favorite.
Christy, oh my, I will have to make this one for sure… too late for me for Thanksgiving but I’m now thinking Christmas!
Thanks for sharing one of your very own personal favorites!! That alone tells me this cake is REALLY good! LOL
Love your stories and recipes. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much Nancy, I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!
My only complaint with coconut is that at my grand age it gets between my teeth! Everything’s better with pecans in it!!
You are so right about the pecans! I feel like I’m using golden nuggets for what I pay these days, though :). And teeth, oh goodness that is an issue for me as well.
My only beef with coconut recipes is that most of them don’t have enough. 8) I usually add more. My family loves coconut. Except for my father. But that left more for us. I usually made him something else when we had something coconut.
The only problem is I’m going to have to leave the pecans out, or use pistachios. A test cake prior to my niece and her husband coming in January will work nicely. Half with pistachios, half without. Thanks, Christy! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and all of your family.
I **REALLY** like pistachios! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, too!!!!
Christy: I finally tried your Italian Cream Cake with pistachios instead of the pecans. I only made 1/2 of a cake, as I didn’t need a whole one. It turned out well with the pistachios, and they would certainly be an acceptable substitute for pecans. I do think the pecans are more flavorful though, and I would prefer the pecans to the pistachios, but that can’t be.
I only added the pistachios to 1/2 of the frosting so that I could try it both plain, and with nuts. I like the contrast between the cream cheese and the coconut better without the nuts, and even better than with a sprinkling of coconut on top of the frosting-who’d a thunk it? I almost always add more coconut to recipes. I think this is the first time that I haven’t done so.
Two questions, do you have to use all purpose flour and baking soda or can you just use the self rising? Does it make a difference? Also do you use the Crisco type shortening in a can or can you use liquid? Thank you so much. My family is eating much better because of you!
The general formula for making your own self rising flour is 1.5 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt per cup of all purpose. So in this recipe that would be adding 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt whereas we are just using 1 teaspoon baking soda. You can certainly try subbing self rising (I do it in many recipes myself and just cut out the salt and baking powder) but in this one I always stick with my original recipe. This cake is definitely worth a trip to the grocery store 🙂 You do need to use solid vegetables shortening as well, not vegetable oil. I know I am usually not this particular with my recipes and I do apologize! I promise this one is worth it!
Thanks so much and y’all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Good to know, Christy. Having my first cup of coffee this morning and wishing I had a piece of this cake to go with it! Merry Christmas, Everyone!
Could this cake be made without the coconut? No one in my family likes coconut!
Thanksin advance for answering
Christy, I just discovered your website and wanted to tell you how much I like it! I love seeing the pictures and the comments you make as you describe the steps of a recipe, but I love even more that at the end of each recipe, you provide a copy that I can easily copy and save on my computer. Thank you!
Nancy from Georgia
Hey Nancy!!! Welcome to Southern Plate!!!! I’m thrilled to death to have you here and you are going to be a wonderful addition! Thank you so much for joining us and for the sweet words! Please holler if you ever have any questions and chime in as often as you can in the comments!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Could this be baked in a half sheet pan, 13 by 18 by 1 inch ?
I believe it could but you’d want to watch it carefully until you got the cook time right.
This cake was super easy and frosting was awesome. I did find it to be a little on the dry side though. Any suggestions to fix that?
Could you make this with coconut oil instead of shortening?
The melting point of coconut oil is lower than that of shortening so I can’t tell you that it would turn out the same. Okay, mainly I can’t tell you that because I’ve never tried it ;). So you’d be going rogue but you might be pleasantly surprised with the results! If you try it, please report back either way!
I use coconut oil on a regular basis, many times grabbing it before anything else. With that being said, I haven’t tried it yet…..BUT…… I’d be surprised if you’d have a problem. I would think it would add an additional flavor to the cake.