Italian Cream Cake is a southern-style cake is bursting with pecan, coconut, and almond flavors. It’s frosted with a cream cheese frosting and beautifully decorated to make one impressive and ridiculously tasty dessert! Recipe includes a how-to video.
A Not-So-Italian Cream Cake
By popular request! After a slew of emails asking for an Italian cream cake, I’ve finally created my own recipe that I’m excited to share with you today.
Italian cream cakes are known for having a soft cake crumb loaded with pecans and coconut. I wanted mine to be plush and perfectly dense (but with a crumb closer to vanilla cake than pound cake), sturdy enough to handle three layers and keep chopped pecans suspended in the batter, yet still able to melt in your mouth. Tricky, right? Right.
It took a lot of attempts to nail this one down, and ultimately, I ended up using a modified version of my Chantilly cake. I nixed the brown sugar so that the almond flavor could shine, used the reverse creaming method for a beautiful, soft crumb, and topped everything off with a THICK layer of cream cheese frosting, with only a few small tweaks from my well-loved recipe. You’re going to love it, even if it’s not really Italian (more on that below!).
This Cake Is a Winner in Every Department:
- Flavor: unique, yet still tastes comforting and familiar.
- Looks: three stately layers crowned with luscious cream cheese frosting; it’s almost as impressive as my cheesecake stuffed chocolate cake!
- Texture: the coconut and pecans throughout add a satisfying bite to the otherwise soft crumb.
- Ease: reverse creaming takes a smidge more time, but makes it nearly impossible to damage the crumb of the cake. This recipe is foolproof!
What You Need
Here’s what you’ll need for a super flavorful Italian cream cake:
- Almond extract. Using almond extract in both the frosting and cake gives it a bright and enticing flavor without being overwhelming; you’ll almost wonder what it is that’s giving the cake such a perfectly balanced flavor (if you’ve tried my angel food cake, you know what I’m talking about!)!
- Buttermilk. I love using buttermilk in cakes to add moisture and flavor. If you’re in a pinch, you can use my buttermilk substitute, but I’d really recommend using the real stuff for this one.
- Pecans. If you’d like to use toasted pecans, toast them before you chop, otherwise they’re likely to burn.
- Coconut. We’ll use sweetened coconut in the cake and chopped toasted coconut for the decoration. I shared a post yesterday showing how to toast coconut, so check that out if you’ve never done it before.
- Cream cheese. Use brick-style, full-fat cream cheese; anything else could make your frosting too funny.
SAM’S TIP: I frost my Italian cream cake very generously (thick frosting is sort of a hallmark of the cake, really); if you prefer a more modest amount of frosting and don’t plan to do a decorative border, I suggest you divide the frosting recipe in half.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Italian Cream Cake
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then mix in the butter one tablespoon at a time (this is the reverse creaming method I use with my caramel cake, as opposed to creaming together the butter and sugar first).
- Whisk the wet ingredients together, then drizzle this mixture into the butter/flour mixture while mixing on low speed.
- Fold in the pecans and coconut with a spatula, then divide the batter between three greased, floured, and parchment-lined pans.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then let the cakes cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth, then stir in the extracts and salt.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and keep mixing until the icing is smooth and creamy.
- Level your cakes if needed, then spread a thick layer of frosting over the top of one layer. Repeat until all layers have been frosted.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Finish frosting and add decorative swirls on top, if desired.
- Press a mixture of toasted coconut and finely chopped pecans up the sides of the cake and lightly sprinkle any excess on your piped swirls.
SAM’S TIP: Pretty much the only way to mess up this cake is to overbake it, so make sure to test the cake for doneness a minute or two early to be safe!
Frequently Asked Questions
Surprisingly, Italian cream cake is not actually Italian! It’s believed to have originated in the southern USA, which isn’t surprising considering it’s studded with nuts both inside and out (all the best southern cakes seem to incorporate nuts, like my Texas sheet cake).
Even though its not actually from the Mediterranean, it still tastes as bright and flavorful as a true Italian dessert!
Yes, although it should be fine at room temperature in an airtight container for about 48 hours. After that, definitely put it in the fridge (still in an airtight container!).
You could, but classic Italian cream cakes are made with cream cheese icing and I’ve found the cake really benefits from the slight tang of a cream cheese frosting. If you’d like to switch things up, whipped cream frosting or Swiss meringue buttercream would be good alternatives!
So, how did I do? If you asked for this recipe, let me know how you like it in the comments below!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Italian Cream Cake
Ingredients
For Cake
- 2 ⅔ cups (333 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter softened and cut into 12 pieces
- 1 ½ cups (354 ml) buttermilk room temperature preferred
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup (120 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup (113 g) coarsely chopped pecans
Frosting (yes, it’s a lot, see note)
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 16 oz (453 g) cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 8 cups (1000 g) powdered sugar
For decorating, optional
- ½ cup (60 g) pecan halves finely chopped
- ½ cup (40 g) toasted coconut finely chopped
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
For Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and thoroughly grease and flour three 8” (20cm) round cake pans (additionally I like to line the bottoms of each pan with a round of parchment paper to prevent sticking).
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) and stir until completely combined.2 ⅔ cups (333 g) all-purpose flour, 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon table salt
- With mixer on medium-speed, add butter, one piece at a time, stirring until completely combined after each addition and before adding the next piece. Continue until all butter has been added. Mixture will be sandy once all butter is incorporated.12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla and almond extract.1 ½ cups (354 ml) buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract
- With mixer on low-speed, slowly drizzle buttermilk mixture into the batter until completely incorporated. Pause periodically to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are completely combined.
- Use a spatula to stir in coconut and pecans until completely combined.1 cup (120 g) sweetened shredded coconut, 1 cup (113 g) coarsely chopped pecans
- Evenly divide batter into prepared baking pans and transfer to the center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (see note if your oven does not fit all three pans at once, or if you do not have three pans!).
- Allow cakes to cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen cake from the pan and invert each layer onto a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating. While cakes cool, prepare the frosting.
Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) combine butter and cream cheese and beat on low-speed until creamy and well-combined,1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 16 oz (453 g) cream cheese
- Add vanilla extract, almond extract and salt and stir to combine,1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, ¼ teaspoon table salt
- With mixer on low-speed, gradually add powdered sugar until all has been added. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl and stir again. Frosting should be smooth and creamy.8 cups (1000 g) powdered sugar
Assembly
- Level cakes if desired/necessary. Place one cake on serving platter and spread a thick, even layer of frosting over the top. Repeat with the next two layers. Smooth a thin layer of frosting evenly around the entire cake to catch the crumbs then place the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (this is your “crumb coat”, it will ensure your outer layer of frosting remains pristine.
- Remove cake from refrigerator and spread an even layer of frosting over the entire cake. Use remaining frosting to pipe decorative swirls on top of the cake (I used the Ateco 846 piping tip).
- If desired, immediately after frosting the cake, mix together finely chopped pecans and toasted coconut and press halfway up the side of the cake. Dust the top of each swirl with a light sprinkling of pecan/coconut mixture.½ cup (60 g) pecan halves, ½ cup (40 g) toasted coconut
Notes
Baking pans
Bake cakes in the center rack of your oven (do not place cake tins on different racks, they won’t bake properly). If your oven does not bake evenly, you may need to rotate the pans halfway through baking or just be aware that some tins may bake faster than others. If your oven does not fit all three tins in the center rack, it’s fine to leave one sitting on the counter until the first two have baked, the lone cake may need a minute less time in the oven. This recipe may also be made in three 9” pans, but will need to bake for less time (start checking at 25 minutes).Icing
Since Italian Cream Cakes are well known for their luscious cream cheese frosting, I wasn’t about to skimp on the amount for my recipe. This recipe as written makes enough frosting to generously cover the entire cake as well as to do the decorative border on top. If you want a more modest amount of frosting and no decorative border, feel free to divide the recipe in half.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cake may also be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen.Gluten-Free
Readers have commented that they have successfully made this recipe gluten-free by using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF flour.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Debbie Clifton
The flavor was delicious…both cake and icing…in fact, I can’t stay out of it!
My complaint is more of a question, mostly caused by possible baker/user error! The batter was very thick, much thicker than any cake I’ve ever made. The final product was VERY dense and a tad dry. Was this caused by baking too long (possibly…I saw the note to bake 2 minutes shorter after the fact)? I have a carrot cake recipe that is absolutely light and moist and was expecting that from this. What tweaks should I make?
Sam
Hi Debbie! The batter here is slightly thicker, but not too thick to manage. If it was too thick, dry, and dense it could have potentially had too much flour in the batter. 🙁
Jane
Hi Debbie,
How long after baking the cake did you try it? Did you refrigerate it before?
I baked the cake and then refrigerated it overnight to let the frosting get a little more structure. The cake wasn’t dry when I tried it, but it was very dense. I liked the density and texture, but if you don’t, you can let it sit out for an hour or so after taking it out from the fridge and it’ll soften up (cakes baked with a lot of butter tend to become dense in the fridge).
Peggy
Everyone loves this yummy cake! The almond flavoring gives it a delicious hint of cherry. I divide it into a 9×13 pan PLUS an 8×8 pan, so there is more surface area for all the icing. It is much easier to travel with just one layer of cake. It is amazing served cold from the fridge, too!
maria stroud
I made this for a co-worker for her birthday. She loved it and so did the whole crew, in fact everyone wants one for their birthday. It was delicious, light and really easy to make. I’m making the second one in a few days for a other birthday. I had never made an Italian Cream cake, but I love the backwards creaming method.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy the cake was such a hit with your coworkers, Maria! Thanks so much for coming back to comment 🥰
Linda
I just made this cake. I have not frosted it yet, but I am confident it will be great. I have never done the reverse creaming before. Cake came out great. This type of cake was requested by an friend for his birthday. He is going to love it. Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for using our recipe, Linda! We hope your friend loves the cake 🥰
Fannie sistrunk
If I make this cake in a 12 by 16 inch pan do I need all the icing g, or half of it
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We haven’t tried making this recipe for that pan size, so it’s hard to say. A half batch would probably be fine though 😊
Kathy Kelling
Help! I made this cake at 5280 feet altitude and it never rose in the middle.
Sam
Hi Kathy! I’m so sorry to hear this is happening! Unfortunately I am not familiar with high altitude baking so I can’t say for sure if there would be any alterations needed for high altitude baking. Hopefully someone else can chime in with some tips.
Lori
I lived at a higher elevation and had to make adjustments to my recipes. I googled high altitude adjustments for baking and found an adjustment chart however, that website is no longer found. There is a website Mountain Mama Cooks that has a chart as well as many other sites with useful information.
Shelly
I adjust recipes to bake at high elevation all the time! Omit the baking powder and reduce the baking soda by half. You can also add an extra 1/4 cup each buttermilk and flour, but these are not as necessary.
CHRISTY
This is the best Italian cream I’ve ever made. I previously used Southern Livings recipe which is very good. I was hesitant to try this one because it only had 2 eggs instead of 5 but I was intrigued by the reverse creaming method for this cake because I feel like the traditional recipe did not live up to its hype, but it is requested often. All I can say is this is now one of my favorite cakes to prepare and Eat. It is a perfect crumb with tender, buttery layers, soft as an oil cake. I love it! thanks for the recipe. sugar spun run is a favorite of mine. The recipes use all the baking science and techniques to insure a successful bake.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Christy! 🙂
Jessica
Do you know how this cake would do with gluten free flour?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jessica! We haven’t tried it, but we don’t anticipate any issues as long as you use a 1:1 gluten free flour. Hope that helps!
Jessica
I made this cake for a dinner party lastnight and it was the star of the party! I did not make it gluten free because I wanted to try it as the recipe was written, maybe next time. I will definitely be making this cake over and over! So delicious!
Heather
I have three 6 inch pans that I’d like to use – would I have enough batter if I cut the recipe in half? If not I can make cupcakes with the remaining batter – would it be ok for it to sit while the cakes bake? Additionally, any thoughts on bake time for 6 inch pans?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Heather! Halving the recipe will give you enough for your pans, though your layers will be a bit thinner than usual. You can let the batter sit on the counter if you do end up making cupcakes with the leftovers instead. Unfortunately, we don’t know what the bake time will be for that size pan, so just keep an eye on them 😊
Anuradhi
Hi can I bake this in 2 9.5 inch trays using the same recipe?
Sam
I think 2 9.5 inch pans will work, but I’m not sure on a bake time. Make sure you don’t overfill your pans. 🙂
Sally
I’m going to try it soon! Need to shop the ingredients first 🇺🇸
Sam
I hope you love it, Sally! 🙂
Fannie sistrunk
can you cook this in a jelly roll pan or one that bigger
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Fannie! It depends on how high the sides are. We wouldn’t want the batter to overflow into your oven 🙁
Kristina
Quick question. Do you think these would do well as cupcakes? Any idea on the baking time for cupcakes or how many it might yield? I love your recipes and I cannot wait to try this one! I know my co-workers are going to LOVE it!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Kristina! You can make this into cupcakes. They will take about 17 minutes to bake and you will probably end up with somewhere around 30 of them 🙂
David Romano
I’ve been wanting to try an Italian Cream Cake for a while. I’ve grown to trust every cake recipe on SSR and have never been disappointed. This one is a winner! It’s not a coconut cake, an almond cake or like any other. The flavors all blend perfectly together to make a subtly sweet, subtly almond/vanilla cake.
I was worried I missed something when i took them out of the oven. The top didn’t brown much and they only rose to 3/4” inch but they were cooked perfectly. I thought I may want more almond flavor but once you taste it and get subtle hints of coconut, pecans, almond and vanilla you won’t want to change a thing. You’ll be able to understand how much work went into creating this recipe especially if you’ve tried Italian Cream Cake recipes before and were disappointed.
Maybe 1/2 the icing recipe. Great new recipe I can’t wait to make again.
Abbie
This cake is Holy S*** good!! Italian cream is one of my all-time favorites and now I claim my independence from ever having to trust someone else to make it for me!!! The crumb is tender (thank you reverse creaming!) with the perfect amount of coconut and pecan, and yes, you really do need that much icing. 🩷 🎂
Catherine
Thank you for the recipe! I haven’t cut the cake yet but the batter and icing seemed to have come together nicely! I forgot to toast my coconut though 😔
Erica
I’m looking at making this into a 12″ three layer cake. Should I double or triple the recipe?
Sam
Hi Erica! I believe you would need to triple the recipe. Enjoy! 🙂
Susan
I don’t see the video. Am I missing it?
Sam
Hi Susan! If you have an ad blocker enabled it will prevent the video from playing. You can this video and all my others on Youtube as well. 🙂
Susan
I made this cake. It was absolutely delicious! Firstly let me say I am not a cake baker. Although I cook and bake bread. I have never made an Italian cream cake nor had I ever tasted one, or ever heard of reverse cream, My family requested this for Easter Sunday dinner. I was a little nervous as there were 16 guests invited. I carefully watch the video and followed the recipe to a tea, except I used unsweetened coconut. I did use less than the recipe called for, because of the added sugar in the sweetened coconut. It was delicious. Everybody enjoyed it and there was not a crumb left. People did say the almond essence made it taste a little different, but it also made it delicious. Give this one 10 stars and will definitely bake this again.
Sandra tenney
Need to make Italian cream cheese cake without coconut. Should I add more butter?
Sam
Hi Sandra! You can simply omit the coconut here. 🙂