• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
All Our Way
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Life
  • Wild Game
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Life
  • Wild Game
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Life
  • Wild Game
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Desserts - Dolci

Italian Cream Cake {Torta Italiana di Crema}

Published: Aug 7, 2014 · Modified: Oct 16, 2024 by Marisa Franca

Jump to Recipe

 Italian Cream Cake is an egg rich three layer yellow cake that is filled with coconut and toasted pecans. It's a special occasion dessert that we've made for birthdays, celebrations, and family gatherings. A rich cream cheese and toasted pecan frosting tops the cake and fills the layers. Toasted coconut tops the beautiful cake. Listen to the oohs and aahs when you present the cake and the yums after the first bite!

For this recipe you will need: buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, butter, sugar, shortening, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, pecans, coconut flakes, cream cheese, coconut extract, powdered sugar.

Does your family have a special birthday tradition? We do. The birthday honoree picks the type of cake, like this Italian Cream Cake, and the entire dinner or lunch now that they're adults, for his or her special occasion.

Three layer Italian Cream Cake with Toasted Coconut on a doily lined cake platter with three yellow rosebuds on the side. allourway.com
Italian Cream Cake with Toasted Coconut
Jump to:
  • The birthday cake tradition.
  • The first birthday cake
  • The special occasion Italian Cream Cake.
  • Italian cream cake evolves.
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

The birthday cake tradition.

When our kids were little, we would always invite the grandparents over for the celebration. We'd make a big production of keeping the actual cake a surprise.

This, you know, was to build the tension!

All day the excitement would build because they couldn't see the cake until evening.

Those were such wonderful days! The birthday parties weren't big just the family. But we made the birthday very, very special.

It was so much fun I would make the cakes when the kids napped. I kept everything a secret, they didn't have a clue what the theme was.

The real challenge was trying to find a good hiding spot! You know how nosey little ones can be.

Raggedy Ann Cake for a Birthday on a yellow formica table.
Raggedy Ann Birthday Cake - 1972 

The first birthday cake

I remember the first cake I decorated! It was a Raggedy Ann cake. And if I do say so myself, it was adorable!!

I knew the little princess would be so excited. Michelle loved her Raggedy Ann Dolls.

I hid the decorated cake on the back porch. The same back porch that we had painted the week before with an oil-based formula.

It was the perfect hiding place! The little ones didn't go out there, and besides the odor from the paint seemed gone.

The beautiful Raggedy Ann Cake ended up in the trash. Inedible!!! It tasted like the original odor of the paint. ????

It was a sad moment *sigh* but the ice cream and presents helped her to forget.

Original recipe card stained and used for Italian Cream cake at allourway.com
Original Recipe Card for Italian Cream Cake

The special occasion Italian Cream Cake.

For the past 30 years, the birthday cake requested by our daughter is always for Italian Cream Cake. Although this rich yellow cake doesn't have any Italian roots, it's delicious nonetheless.

I tried to find the origin of the cake, the only thing I found was that the first written recipe for an Italian Cream Cake was in 1937.

I've made this recipe, a lot, as you can see by the stains on the card. The back of the card is even worse.

Italian Cream Cake with Toasted Coconut sliced at allourway.com
Italian Cream Cake with Toasted Coconut Sliced

This recipe is such a tradition I know exactly where the card is -- at all times. ????

Italian cream cake evolves.

When I was looking for the history of Italian Cream Cake on the Internet, I found that there are many versions. There are also countless printings for this yellow cake, and most of the recipes are basically the same.

We've tweaked our Italian Cream Cake recipe a little and we believe that it's improved the flavor if that's possible. ????

 If you've been making Italian Cream Cake, try toasting the nuts and coconut and see if that doesn't improve the flavor.

Next special occasion try out our special coconut pecan yellow cake. You'll find that it truly is an outstanding dessert!! And if you're a cookie lover who adores chocolate and coconut, try our Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroon recipe.

And if you can't get enough of tropical flavors, try our classic Hummingbird Cake recipe that is loaded with banana, pineapple, coconut, and toasted pecans in the three layer dessert.

If you love Italian desserts, try out our excellent Italian Love Cake recipe - the name says it all.

More Italian desserts to try

  • Cannoli Cake 
  • Italian Plum Torte 
  • Slow Cooker Polenta Cake With Caramelized Pears
  • Tiramisu Cake With Zabaglione Topping

These are some of the birthday cakes I've made our daughter Michelle.

Tutti a tavola è pronto! 

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

Collage of a 3 layer yellow cake on a doily with yellow roses on the side. Italian cream Cake sliced on a glass plate with silver fork and knife on the side.

YOU MAY NEED. . .

The following are affiliate links. As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

SaveSave

📖 Recipe

Italian cream Cake with a Slice Removed.

Italian Cream Cake with Toasted Coconut

Italian Cream Cake is an egg rich yellow cake that is filled with pecans and coconut. It is then topped and filled with a cream cheese - toasted pecans and sprinkled with toasted coconut.
5 from 20 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: cake, Dessert, sweets
Cuisine: American, Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 745kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 5 eggs separated
  • 1 stick butter softened
  • 2 cups 400 grams or 14 ⅛ oz. sugar
  • ½ cup shortening - I use the butter flavored Crisco
  • 2 cups 250 grams or 8 ¾ oz. all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 ½ cups 139 ½ grams or 5 oz. loosely packed coconut flakes
  • Icing
  • 1 Large package cream cheese 8 oz. at room temperature
  • 1 stick butter softened
  • 1 box 1 lb. powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 cup toasted chopped pecans
  • 1 cup toasted shredded coconut
  • Prepare 3 - 8 inch cake pans by greasing and flouring the bottom and sides. I also cut round pieces of parchment paper to line the very bottom of each pan.
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine soda and buttermilk and set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl cream sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy.
  • Add egg yolks one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
  • Add buttermilk and flour a little at a time.
  • Stir in vanilla. Set aside.
  • In another mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry.
  • Gently fold the egg batter into the egg whites making sure everything is mixed.
  • Add the coconut and nuts.
  • Pour into the 3 prepared 8-inch cake pans.
  • Bake at 325 F for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick poked into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  • Let the pans cool on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans, then cool completely on wire racks sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
  • Icing
  • With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese with the butter on high speed until fluffy.
  • Reduce the speed and blend in the powdered sugar, vanilla and coconut extract.
  • Beat well until it is smooth and light.
  • Fold in the toasted pecans.
  • Spread the frosting between the layers and on the sides and top of the cake.
  • Sprinkle with the toasted coconut.

Notes

  • I use a wooden skewer to anchor the three layers together. It makes frosting the cake easier and the layers don't shift. Put the skewer right through the middle of the cake and then snip off the top that sticks out. The frosting will conceal the skewer and it's easy to locate once you begin to slice the cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 79g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2.2mg

Sign up for the emails and never miss another recipe!!

    Powered By ConvertKit
    We'll never share your email or send you spam. Promise

    Note: Recipes and content from  ©2014 - 2018 All Our Way are copyright protected. Please do not use content or recipe without prior written permission. If you want to share the information please link to this post. Grazie.

    More Desserts - Dolci

    • Rice Krispie Bars decorated with Patriotic red, white, and blue sprinkles.
      No-Bake Patriotic Rice Krispie Bars
    • Chocolate Pudding cake laced with amaretto and served with fresh raspberries and vanilla ice cream.
      Amaretto Chocolate Pudding Cake
    • A slice of Triple Cream Pie on a white plate with the full pie in the background.
      Triple Coconut Cream Pie|Triple the Joy
    • Carrot cake cookies frosted with cream cheese fronting on a wire cooling rack.
      Carrot Cake Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting
    738 shares

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Marisa Franca, a home chef, food writer, and photographer who believes that you can make gourmet quality food at home with simple seasonal ingredients. I’m passionate about family, food, friends, everything Italian, and happy endings.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    🍿Snack Favorites

    • Macaroni and cheese stuffed into a large pepperoni slice and baked.
      Pizza Bites Appetizer and Snack

    • A glass bowl filled with creamy chickpeas made into a hummus dip.
      Homemade Hummus Recipe

    • Casserole dish with baked ground beef taco dip.
      Baked Taco Dip

    • A sausage meatball pyramid in a white plate with the appetizers pierced with toothpicks.
      Cheesy Sausage Balls

    🇮🇹 Italian Comfort Food

    • Bolognese Sauce Antica gives you a true taste of Italy. A special sauce for a special meal.
      Bolognese Sauce Antica A True Taste of Italy

    • Creamy Parmesan Baked gnocchi in a rich cheesy sauce baked in a black cast iron skillet.
      Baked Gnocchi in Parmesan Sauce

    • A cast iron skillet holding the Beefy Ravioli Bake with torn basil leaves sprinkled on top.
      Beefy Baked Ravioli

    • A white plate filled with egg sauce coated pasta with bits of pork on top and some parley leaves.
      Classic Roman Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

    🌬️ Cozy Winter Soups

    • Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe served in a white bowl and garnished with onions, bacon, and almonds.
      Savory Chicken Wild Rice Soup With Mushrooms

    • Bowl of Slow Cooker Taco Soup Topped With sour cream and corn chips.
      Easy Slow Cooker Taco Soup

    • Brown bowl filled with chunks of meat and barley grains in a tomato broth with a spoon in the bowl.
      Old-Fashioned Hearty Beef Barley Soup - The Way Mamma Used To Make

    • Black Bean soup garnished with sliced avocado, diced red onions, and cilantro leaves.
      Southwestern Black Bean Soup

    🤤 Delicious Yet Light

    • A salad bowl filled with Strawberry Lettuce combination and grilled chicken dressed with poppyseed dressing.
      Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

    • A glass bowl filled with orzo pasta combined with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, chickpeas, feta, seasonings, and dressed with a Greek vinaigrette.
      Ultimate Greek Orzo Salad

    • Fresh green cabbage salad made with a homemade green goddess dressing.
      Green Goddess Salad And Dressing

    • Overhead view of large white bowl filled with arugula salad tossed with pears, gorgonzola cheese, cranberries, and walnuts.
      Arugula Salad

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 All Our Way

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required