Recipes Global Cuisines European Italian Italian Christmas Cream Cake 4.0 (2) 2 Reviews 3 Photos This is the most delicious Italian cream cake ever. A must-have every Christmas or special occasion at our home. People ask for this recipe always. A bit labor intensive, but well worth the effort. Submitted by Yoly Updated on September 25, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo 3 3 Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Additional Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 1 2-tiered 9-inch cake Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings 1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 ½ cups cake flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 ¾ cups white sugar 1 ½ cups butter, softened ¼ cup shortening 5 eggs ¾ cup pecans, chopped Frosting: 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar ½ cup butter, softened ½ cup cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez®) ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon salt 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 ¼ cups pecans, chopped Directions Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Spread coconut flakes thinly over a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high until lightly browned, stirring every 30 seconds, 2 to 3 minutes total. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Place coconut in a blender and grind into a fine powder. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Combine coconut powder, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Combine cake flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Beat sugar, butter, and shortening until fluffy. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Add eggs, one at a time. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Add flour mixture alternately with coconut-buttermilk mixture, mixing between additions. Mix in pecans. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Divide batter between the pans. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 28 to 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Remove cakes from pans and cool on wire racks, at least 20 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Meanwhile, beat powdered sugar and butter until fluffy. Mix in cream of coconut, vanilla extract, and salt. Add cream cheese; beat until well combined. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Place 1 cooled cake on a serving platter and spread frosting all over. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Place the other cake on top; coat with remaining frosting. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Press remaining pecans around and on top of the cake to garnish. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Cook's Notes: Coconut can be toasted in a skillet or in the oven. Make sure to use cream of coconut, not coconut cream--they are 2 different products. Cream of coconut can usually be found in the aisle where drink mixers are. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 1012 Calories 69g Fat 93g Carbs 11g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 1012 % Daily Value * Total Fat 69g 88% Saturated Fat 35g 174% Cholesterol 201mg 67% Sodium 668mg 29% Total Carbohydrate 93g 34% Dietary Fiber 3g 11% Total Sugars 65g Protein 11g 22% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 138mg 11% Iron 4mg 21% Potassium 256mg 5% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.