Italian Cream Cake (From Beth Lott's Mom)

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002

Show: The Essence of EmerilEpisode: Deep South Desserts

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (65)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(65)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
1 (3-layer) cake, serving 10 t

Times:

Prep: 35 min
Inactive Prep: 2 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 1 hr 2 min

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Ingredients

For the cake:

1/2 cup shortening, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated and at room temperature
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together onto a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted ingredients in batches alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, and gently fold into the prepared batter. Add the coconut, pecans and vanilla and fold into the batter. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of each cake. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. When the cakes are completely cool, stack the layers with the frosting and frost the sides and top.

While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the nuts and fold together. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to frost the cake.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Italian Cream Cake (From Beth Lott's Mom)
Christine Hanceville, AL 10-04-2009
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Love to Try Anything
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I love cakes. The creativity, colors, textures, and different tastes amoung them all is amazing. i can't wait to ty this. I... am almost burstig into the kitchen now. I waitress at Chamblee Mill & Steakhouse and our head chef is from Chicago and he makes the best foods I have ever put in my mouth. His Chocolate cake even won 1st in Chicago. So, needless to say, hopefully I can use this recipe to wow him!!! A little healthy competition never hurt anyone!!! Wish me luck!!!Read more
recipe Italian Cream Cake (From Beth Lott's Mom)
Deborah Spring, TX 09-13-2009
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Best classic cake
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this recipe at my restaurant, and now I have people come in just for it.
recipe Italian Cream Cake (From Beth Lott's Mom)
Sally Woodinville, WA 08-06-2009
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I may just throw away all my other cake recipes.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I'm the one in my crowd who bakes. I live in a foodie area. I've made really spectacular 17 layer cakes, elaborate and... lovely and really tasty cakes of every kind for all kinds of people. Never, never have I had the reaction I got for this cake. Italian Cream Cake is actually a Texan invention (not Italian at all!) so this cake was new to almost everyone. I brought it to a party (it can get kind of competitive with everyone trying to out-do the others for undeclared "best dish") and people were fighting over the last piece and swiping bites from each other's plates. I made this using walnuts, and on the advice of other reviews, made double the frosting , because I wanted to frost the sides as well. I had lots of frosting left over -- maybe 1.5 times the original frosting recipe would be just right? I, too, backed off on the amount of sugar in the frosting. I started with half the correct amount and added 1/2 cup at a time until I got to "just right."Read more
recipe Italian Cream Cake (From Beth Lott's Mom)
pixie norman, OK 08-01-2009
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Can't Wait!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Erica from Austin: I don't suppose you noticed that Christine is from Ontario, where their industry standards differ from... ours? Haven't tried the recipe yet, but my husband will be making it for my birthday and I can't wait!Read more
recipe Italian Cream Cake (From Beth Lott's Mom)
Erica Austin, TX 05-14-2009
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Stick of butter = 8 tablespoons
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Try googling next time... or going to grocery store and asking for sticks of butter. It's an industry standard, which is why... recipes don't usually specify. Read more
recipe Italian Cream Cake (From Beth Lott's Mom)
Julia Aiken, SC 05-11-2009
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WONDERFUL CAKE!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this cake for a dinner party for 16, and most of the guests were Italian! They loved it. I used almond flavoring... instead of vanilla, and that change made it seem more ItalianRead more