Italian Cream Cake is a moist vanilla cake packed full of pecans and shredded coconut and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. It is a delightful combination of textures and flavors that make this cake irresistible.
Show up to a gathering with this beautiful cake and people are going to think you got it from a bakery. It is a rather simple cake to make, despite having quite a few ingredients, and it is so delicious. The sweet cake with the flavors of vanilla, almond, pecan, and coconut has a rich cream cheese icing that perfectly complement each other. It is the kind of cake you'll want to make again and again!
If you're looking for more delicious cake recipes check out my Lemon Curd Cake, Coconut Cake Recipe, or Strawberry Pound Cake!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Each slice of this Italian Cream Cake recipe has an amazing combination or textures from the moist cake, crunchy pecans, chewy coconut, and creamy cream cheese frosting. My French Apple Pie also has a fun combination of textures.
- The cream cheese frosting is rich and a bit tangy, which perfectly complements the sweetness of the cake. Get more cream cheese from my Cinnamon Rolls with Heavy Cream.
- The addition of pecans and coconut adds flavor and decoration to the cake. I also use pecans in my Turtle Pie.
- It is a versatile cake that is perfect for any occasion- Christmas, a birthday cake, or a wedding! I feel the same way about my Lemon Brownies.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Shredded Coconut is used both in the cake for flavor and on top of the cake for decoration. I also use coconut in my Chocolate Caramel Coconut Macaroons.
- Pecans are roughly chopped and added to the cake batter and the top of the cake. Get more pecans in my Pecan and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Olive oil will make the cake extra moist and add a bit of flavor. You can use any type of vegetable oil that you prefer. I also use olive oil in these Brownie Mix Cookies.
- Greek yogurt will also add moisture to the cake recipe. You can use sour cream in place of the greek yogurt if needed or preferred.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Bake this cake recipe in a cupcake tin rather than a cake pan to make cupcakes. The baking time will be much shorter. I use a cupcake tin to make my Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins as well.
- Add cocoa powder or chocolate chips to the cake batter for added flavor and richness. Get more chocolate in my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Mix lemon zest into the cake batter and cream cheese frosting to create and Italian Lemon Cream Cake. I use lemon zest in my Lemon Curd Cookies as well.
- If you're short on time or just looking for a shortcut you can use a vanilla cake mix instead of making the cake from scratch. I also use cake mix in this Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and then lay thick strips of parchment paper across the bottom of the pan in a cross shape.
STEP 2: In a large bowl combine the granulated sugar and the eggs. Whisk until fully combined. Whisk in the almond extract, vanilla, buttermilk, olive oil, and greek yogurt until combined.
STEP 3: In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to remove any lumps.
STEP 4: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
STEP 5: Gently fold in the pecans and shredded coconut.
STEP 6: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees (F) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
STEP 7: In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat until very soft and creamy. Add half of the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat for 5-6 minutes.
STEP 8: When the cake is fully cooled spread the frosting on top of the cake and sprinkle with extra pecans and toasted coconut.
Expert Tips
- Use an oven thermometer. Most ovens run either hot or cold. Using an oven thermometer ensures that you are baking your cake at the perfect temperature.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your cake batter. The ingredients will combine much easier and you won’t have chunks of cold butter in your batter.
- Weigh your ingredients. One of the most common baking mistakes that I see is measuring incorrectly, especially with flour. The best way to get accurate measurements every time is to weigh them with a kitchen scale.
- Don't overmix. You need to mix your batter until all of the ingredients are JUST combined, otherwise, you will make too much gluten and your cake will be tough instead of fluffy.
Recipe FAQ's
A classic Italian Cream Cake is a moist vanilla cake with a hint of almond flavoring. The cake is packed full of chopped pecans and shredded coconut then topped with rich, silky cream cheese frosting. The cake is traditionally layered and sprinkled with extra pecans and toasted coconut.
Room Temperature: The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
Refrigerator: If stored correctly in an airtight container this Italian Cream Cake recipe will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: If stored correctly in an airtight container the cake will last up to a month in the freezer.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Italian Cream Cake or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I so appreciate hearing from you!
Recipe
Italian Cream Cake
Ingredients
For Cake:
- 1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large (150 grams) eggs
- ½ teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (113 grams) buttermilk
- 1 cup (200 grams) olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) greek yogurt
- 1 ¾ cup (210 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (52 grams) pecans chopped. Plus extra for decorating
- ½ cup (42 grams) sweetened shredded coconut plus extra for decorating
For Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups (227 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and then lay thick strips of parchment paper across the bottom of the pan in a cross shape.
- In a large bowl combine the granulated sugar and the eggs. Whisk until fully combined. Whisk in the almond extract, vanilla, buttermilk, olive oil, and greek yogurt until combined.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to remove any lumps.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the pecans and shredded coconut.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat until very soft and creamy. Add half of the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat for 5-6 minutes.
- When the cake is fully cooled spread the frosting on top of the cake and sprinkle with extra pecans and toasted coconut.
Notes
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your cake batter. The ingredients will combine much easier and you won’t have chunks of cold butter in your batter.
- Don't over mix. You need to mix your batter until all of the ingredients are JUST combined, otherwise, you will make too much gluten and your cake will be tough instead of fluffy.
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate for the entire cake, the calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
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