Easy Italian Cream Cake Recipe

ingredients

5 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 package plain white cake mix
3 large egg yolks
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8 ounce size, softened) cream cheese
8 tablespoons soft butter
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring

directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour three 9-inch round layer pans with vegetable shortening and dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pans aside.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Set the bowl aside.

Place the cake mix, egg yolks, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, and with the same beaters used to beat the egg whites, blend with the electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well blended.

Turn the beaten egg whites out on top of the batter, and with the rubber spatula fold the whites into the batter until the mixture is light but well combined. Gently fold in the coconut and pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops out. Place the pans in the oven, two on the center rack and another pan above if three layers will not fit on one rack.

Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 25 minutes. The top layer may bake more quickly, and it might needing rotating to a lower rack during baking.

Remove the pans from the oven, place on a rack to cool 10 to 15 minutes, then invert once, and then again, so that the layers rest right-side up on racks to complete cooling. Frost with the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting and serve.

For Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting: Blend an cream cheese with soft butter, then add confectioners' sugar and coconut flavoring. Beat until creamy, and frost the middle, top, and sides of the cake.

nutrition data

472 calories, 29 grams fat, 48 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein per serving.

reviews & comments

cake maker REVIEW:
December 13, 2013

You'll never know this starts from a cake mix! Wow is it impressive! The frosting is very good too. I actually added a full tsp of coconut extract to up the flavor just a bit more and sprinkled the top with some coconut flakes just for garnish
Guest Foodie September 14, 2006

Absolutely wonderful!

17 Applebee's Copycat Recipes Revealed - Finally!

If you're a fan of the menu at this American chain of restaurants which serves a variety of foods such as burgers, steaks, pasta, and seafood then you'll love this collection of copycat recipes.