Deborah Chan
Italian cream cake is a traditional Southern dessert, often served at weddings, that combines a soft and moist vanilla-coconut-butter flavoured cake with a decadent cream cheese frosting. The cake is rich and dense, with a soft crumb, and is loaded with pecans and coconut. The cake is also garnished with additional shredded coconut, and the frosting is usually spread between the layers as well as across the top and sides of the cake.
How to Make Italian Cream Wedding Cake
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of servings | 8-10 |
| Oven temperature | 325-350°F |
| Baking time | 25-30 minutes |
| Cooling time | 5-10 minutes |
| Cake pan size | 8-9 inch |
| Cake pan number | 2-3 |
| Cake layers | 1-3 |
| Cake type | Soft, moist, rich, light, fluffy |
| Cake ingredients | Flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, buttermilk, coconut, pecans |
| Frosting type | Cream cheese |
| Frosting ingredients | Butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, almond extract, confectioners' sugar, coconut, pecans |
| Garnish | Shredded coconut, pecans |
What You'll Learn
How to make the batter
To make the batter for an Italian cream wedding cake, you'll need to follow these steps:
Firstly, preheat your oven to 325-350°F. Grease and flour three 8-9 inch round cake pans with butter and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer for this step.
Next, add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. You can also add a small amount of almond extract at this stage, if desired.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. You can also add a small amount of baking powder if you wish.
Now, alternate adding the buttermilk and flour mixture to the sugar mixture, starting and ending with the buttermilk. Be sure to mix well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. You can use a hand mixer for this step if you wish.
Gently fold the egg whites into your batter.
Finally, stir in your desired mix-ins, such as coconuts and pecans, and your batter is ready!
Pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes before removing them and placing them on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Your Italian cream wedding cake batter is now ready for assembly and frosting!
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How to bake the cake
To bake the cake, preheat your oven to 325-350°F. Grease and flour three 8-9 inch round cake pans. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the buttermilk and flour to the sugar mixture, alternating between the two and starting and ending with the buttermilk. Be sure to mix well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool for about 10 minutes in the pans, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
To make the frosting, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until blended. Add in the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
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How to make the frosting
Ingredients
You will need:
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Confectioners' sugar (also known as powdered sugar or icing sugar)
- Pecans (optional)
Method
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and keep mixing until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- If the frosting is too stiff to spread, stir in milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Stir in pecans, if desired.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake and refrigerate for 15 minutes to create a crumb coat.
- Finish frosting the cake and add decorative swirls on top, if desired.
Tips
- If you prefer a more modest amount of frosting, you can halve the recipe.
- For a thicker layer of frosting, double the recipe.
- If you don't like the texture of coconut, you can use finely shredded coconut and process it to break up the flakes.
- To decorate, 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.
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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How to decorate the cake
Once your Italian cream wedding cake is baked and cooled, it's time to decorate! Here's a step-by-step guide to achieving a beautiful and elegant finish:
Step 1: Make the Frosting
In a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, softened butter, softened cream cheese, and vanilla extract. Mix until you have a smooth and creamy frosting. You can use an electric mixer or a hand mixer for this step. If the frosting is too stiff, you can add milk, a teaspoon at a time, to achieve the desired consistency.
Step 2: Assemble the Cake Layers
Place one cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Spread a generous amount of frosting on top. Repeat this process with the remaining layers, stacking them on top of each other.
Step 3: Frost the Entire Cake
Once you have all the layers stacked, it's time to frost the entire cake. Start by spreading a thin layer of frosting around the sides and top of the cake. This is your "crumb coat," which will help create a smooth finish and prevent crumbs from getting into your final layer of frosting. Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to let the crumb coat set.
After the crumb coat has set, remove the cake from the refrigerator. Now, spread a thicker layer of frosting over the entire cake, making sure to cover the top and sides evenly. Use a spatula to smooth out the frosting and create a neat finish.
Step 4: Decorate with Coconut and Nuts
To give your Italian cream wedding cake a classic finish, press shredded or flaked coconut onto the sides of the cake. You can also sprinkle some on top. If you want to add a little crunch and extra decoration, chop some pecans or walnuts finely and press them lightly into the frosting, especially around the sides and edges of the cake. You can also use these chopped nuts to garnish the top of the cake.
Optional: Add Decorative Swirls
If you want to get creative, you can use a piping tip to add decorative swirls or patterns on top of the cake. You can pipe these swirls using the remaining frosting. If you want to add some colour or flavour, you can even dye the frosting or mix in different extracts.
And there you have it! A beautifully decorated Italian cream wedding cake. Remember to store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator until it's time to serve. Enjoy the delicious combination of soft cake, creamy frosting, and the crunch of nuts and coconut!
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How to store the cake
Storing the cake:
The Italian Cream Cake is best stored in the fridge. If you have leftover cake and want to store the remaining, press plastic wrap directly on the cut portions of the cake, while loosely wrapping the top and edges. The cake will stay fresh for up to one week in the fridge.
You can also make and bake the cake layers up to one month in advance and freeze them. Let the cake rounds cool completely, then wrap them in freezer wrap and heavy-duty foil. Thaw the frozen cake layers in the refrigerator and frost before serving.
If you want to freeze a fully assembled cake, wrap it well in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw the cake overnight in the fridge, then slice and serve.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need flour, baking soda, almond extract, vanilla extract, butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, pecans, and coconut.
First, preheat your oven and prepare your pans by greasing and flouring them. Next, cream together the butter and sugar, then add in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and almond extract. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add the buttermilk and flour mixture to the sugar mixture, alternating between the two. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold them into the batter. Finally, stir in the coconut and pecans, pour the batter into the prepared pans, and bake for 25-35 minutes.
Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar until well combined. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and pecans. If the frosting is too stiff, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Italian cream wedding cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 48 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, it can be frozen in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
