One of my top 10 favorite desserts of all time, this Italian cream cake with a pecan-studded cream cheese icing is pillowy soft, moist, and all-around perfect.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cake
Calories: 297kcal
Ingredients
½cupshortening
½cupbuttersoftened
2cupsall-purpose flour
2cupssugar
5large eggs
1teaspoonbaking soda
1cupbuttermilk
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
1cupunsweetened shredded coconut
Cream Cheese Icing:
8ouncescream cheeseat room temp
1/2cupbutterat room temp
3.5-4cupsconfectioner’s sugar
1-2teaspoonsvanilla
1teaspoonbutter flavoringoptional
1cupchopped pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9x13 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.