Chocolate Italian Cream Cake

This Italian cream cake has a double dose of chocolate, with cocoa in both the cake and the frosting.

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 780 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 0.5 cup butter
• 0.5 cup shortening
• 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.

Step 2

Make the cake: Cream butter, shortening, and sugar together. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Step 3

Sift flour, baking soda, and cocoa together. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in coconut and pecans.

Step 4

Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form; fold into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 30 mintutes.

Step 6

While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting: Sift confectioner's sugar and cocoa together.

Step 7

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in confectioners' sugar mixture, a little at a time, until well-combined. Mix in pecans and vanilla.

Step 8

Remove cooled cakes from the pans. Frost the top of each layer, then stack and frost the sides.