Italian Cream Cake

I am often asked for this recipe. It is a family favorite. I sometimes make the layers and the frosting weeks in advance and freeze them, but don't frost and assemble the cake until I am ready to serve it. Let both cake and frosting completely defrost before icing. I have also frozen the frosted cake. Both come out perfectly. If your freezer is low on space, freezing the layers and frosting seperately makes it easier to store because you can space them out. I can't tell the difference in the frozen and freshly baked cake.

Cake Ingredients

1 stick of butter                                                                            1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups of sugar                                                                             1 1/2 cups moist flaked coconut

5 egg yolks                                                                                   1 tsp real vanilla extract

1/2 cup Crisco (not butter flavored)        

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

5 egg whites stifly beaten

Cream butter and shortening. Add sugar mix well. Add egg yolks one at a time, beat until blended. 

Sift together flour and soda and add to the mixture, alternating with buttermilk.  Add nuts, coconut and vanilla. Fold in the beaten egg whites with a spatula being careful not to over mix. Over mixing deflates the volume of the eggs and will make a heavy cake. 

Line three 9 inch round cake pans with parchment or waxed paper. Grease and flour. Divide batter into the pans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. The top center of the cake should bounce back with lightly touched. Do not overbake.

                                                                    Frosting:

12 ounces of cream cheese (not light)                    

1 1/2 sticks of butter                                            

6 cups of powdered sugar                                         

1 1/2 tsps of vanilla                                                  

1 cup of nuts to top the cake                                     

Make sure butter and cream cheese are room temperature. Beat until completely blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth and fluffy. Top with nuts.