Sunday, July 29, 2012

Italian Cream Cake

I have made this cake maybe four or five times now.  It was a hit at my family's Sunday dinner, and a hit at my uncle's 50th birthday party too.  I also made it for my friend Kristin's (www.pursuitofvegetables.com) 30th birthday celebration.  My brother recently requested this cake for his birthday cake, so I was more than happy to make it.  This recipe comes from my Cooking Light Way to Bake cook book.

For the cake you'll need:
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons cake flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
8 ounces cake flour (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large egg whites

For the frosting you'll need:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat the bottoms of 2 (9 inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, wax paper, more cooking spray, and dust 1 teaspoon on each pan.  I don't know why they are asking for wax paper after already coating the bottoms of the pans with cooking spray, but I never like taking chances so I follow the recipe each time.  I would hate to get this delicious cake stuck to pans. 

Place 1/3 butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until creamy.

Gradually add granulated sugar, beating well.




Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.



Combine 8 ounces flour, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl; stir well.  Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.   




Stir in pecans, coconut extract, and vanilla extract.

Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.




Fold egg whites into batter.  Pour batter into prepared pans.




Bake for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool.  Wait for the pans to be cool, then remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire racks.


To prepare frosting, place 1 tablespoon butter and cream cheese in a large bowl;  beat with mixer at high speed until fluffy.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (don't over beat).  Add 1 teaspoon vanilla;  beat well.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate;  spread with one-third of frosting.  Top with remaining cake layer.  Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.





Enjoy! 

1 comment:

  1. It was pretty tasty! I'm going to bookmark this recipe . . . By the way, I saw that "30th birthday" and wondered who you meant, and then realized "oh, I'm that old." Clearly, it hasn't completely sunk in, even after a few months ;)

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