Italian cream cake recipe

Ingredients

• Baking spray
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring them.
For the Cake
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they hold a stiff peak, about 7 minutes.
3. In a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition until combined.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter and sugar mixture, beating after each addition until just blended. Stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Fold in the whipped egg whites. Divide the batter among the prepared pans.
5. Bake until the center of the cake springs back to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out of the pans onto wire racks and let cool before frosting.
For the Frosting
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating at the highest speed for about 10 seconds after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and nuts.
7. Spread the frosting over the top of one of the cooled cake layers. Add a second cake layer and spread with frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer and frost the top and sides of the cake. Because of the cream cheese in the frosting, this cake needs to be refrigerated.