Italian Cream Cheese Cake

For the love of cake, this Italian Cream Cheese Cake is moist and flavorful because it’s made with buttermilk. For coconut lovers you can add this ingredient, but I’m leaving it as an option. If using, the rich thick pecan and coconut filled batter is only trumped by the decadent cream cheese frosting. Ideal for showcasing as the feature dessert for birthdays, holidays or any special gathering, it's such an amazing cake it's guaranteed to turn any occasion into something special.

This vintage cake dubbed "Italian Cream Cake" is more Southern than Italian and no one really knows definitively why it was given this name. That said, Italian cream cake recipes often call for all shortening in the batter. However, this recipe is splitting the required shortening in half with the other half using real butter.  

 While it does take several steps to create this cake it's a labor of love well worth the effort when you see the delight on the faces of your family and friends. Serves 16 Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, optional 
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
• 11 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Beat until just combined. Stir in coconut and pecans.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites with clean beaters until stiff but not dry. Fold one-fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in pecans. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate.