Chocolate Italian Cream Cake
A chocolate variation on Italian cream cake with shredded coconut, chopped pecans and a cream cheese cocoa frosting.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 5 largeeggs ,separated
- 1/2 cupbutter softened
- 1/2 cupCrisco shortening
- 2 cupssugar
- 2 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1/4 cupunsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tspbaking soda
- 1 cupbuttermilk
- 1 cupunsweetened flaked coconut
- 2/3 cupfinely chopped pecans
- 1 Tbspvanilla extract
- 1 8-ozpackage cream cheese, ,softened
- 1/2 cupbutter ,softened
- 1 Tbspvanilla extract
- 1/4 tspcinnamon
- 1 16-ozbox powdered sugar
- 1/4 cupunsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cupbuttermilk
- 2/3 cupfinely chopped pecans
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
- Separate the 5 large eggs into yolks and whites. Place the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and beat at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Set the beaten egg whites aside.
- In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup Crisco shortening until creamy. Gradually add 2 cups sugar, beating well until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1 tsp baking soda.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with 1 cup buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mixing just until combined after each addition.
- Stir in 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans, and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. Then gently fold in the beaten egg whites until no white streaks remain.
- Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
- Run a knife around the pan edges, turn the cakes out onto wire racks, and cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat together 1 (8-oz) package softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter until creamy. Add 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp cinnamon and beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 (16-oz) box powdered sugar and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Gradually add this sugar mixture to the cream cheese mixture alternately with 1/4 cup buttermilk, beating until smooth and spreadable. Stir in 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans.
- Assemble the cake: place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread frosting between the layers, stack the remaining layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake.
- Garnish with extra chopped pecans and coconut, if desired. Store the cake in the refrigerator.
Equipment
- 8-inch round cake pan
- Offset Spatula
- Kitchen-Aid Mixer
- Hand Mixer
Notes
If you don’t like coconut, you can omit it.
To make Homemade Buttermilk, add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let the mixture sit until it starts to curdle, about 5 minutes.
I don’t like shortening. Can I use all butter? You can omit the shortening if you prefer. It will change the texture of the cake, but it will still be fine.
If you don’t like pecans, you can substitute walnuts.
Can Italian Cream Cake be frozen? Yes! You can freeze the cake layers unfrosted or freeze the whole frosted cake.To freeze the layers to frost later, cool the cake completely and wrap the layers in plastic wrap. Place each one in a freezer bag and freeze. Remove the layers from the freezer a few hours to thaw before frosting.To freeze the whole frosted cake, place the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the cake and wrap in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and place back into the freezer. Thaw the cake for an hour or so before serving.
To freeze the layers to frost later, cool the cake completely and wrap the layers in plastic wrap. Place each one in a freezer bag and freeze. Remove the layers from the freezer a few hours to thaw before frosting.
To freeze the whole frosted cake, place the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the cake and wrap in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and place back into the freezer. Thaw the cake for an hour or so before serving.
Do I need to refrigerate Italian Cream Cake? Yes! You should always refrigerate cakes and desserts with cream cheese frosting. Store the cake in an air-tight container. It will keep 3 to 4 days.
To make Homemade Buttermilk, add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let the mixture sit until it starts to curdle, about 5 minutes.
I don’t like shortening. Can I use all butter? You can omit the shortening if you prefer. It will change the texture of the cake, but it will still be fine.
If you don’t like pecans, you can substitute walnuts.
Can Italian Cream Cake be frozen? Yes! You can freeze the cake layers unfrosted or freeze the whole frosted cake.To freeze the layers to frost later, cool the cake completely and wrap the layers in plastic wrap. Place each one in a freezer bag and freeze. Remove the layers from the freezer a few hours to thaw before frosting.To freeze the whole frosted cake, place the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the cake and wrap in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and place back into the freezer. Thaw the cake for an hour or so before serving.
To freeze the layers to frost later, cool the cake completely and wrap the layers in plastic wrap. Place each one in a freezer bag and freeze. Remove the layers from the freezer a few hours to thaw before frosting.
To freeze the whole frosted cake, place the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the cake and wrap in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and place back into the freezer. Thaw the cake for an hour or so before serving.
Do I need to refrigerate Italian Cream Cake? Yes! You should always refrigerate cakes and desserts with cream cheese frosting. Store the cake in an air-tight container. It will keep 3 to 4 days.