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Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Saturday, May 7, 2011

Italian Cream Cake

My mom's had this recipe for years and why I waited until now to get it from her and make it is a mystery. It's SO good. I was actually talking to a friend (Hi Crys!) the other day about this cake. Crys is the dessert chef for a restaurant in Florida and I told her about this cake. Then I thought....hey! I need to make this cake, too! It's so incredibly good. If you're searching for a dessert to make mom for Mother's Day tomorrow...or any day...try this! You won't be disappointed!

Italian Cream Cake



Cake:

2 cups sugar
1 stick butter – room temp
½ cup Crisco
5 eggs - divided
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
2 cups flour (I used cake flour. Just add 2 tablespoons MORE cake flour per cup of regular flour)
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups coconut

Cream together the sugar, butter and Crisco. Add egg yolks, one at a time until well blended. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and soda. Add buttermilk mixture alternately with flour, beginning and ending with flour.

Beat egg whites until stiff then fold into batter.

Fold in nuts and coconut.

Divide mixture into 3 8-inch cake pans and bake for 30 – 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
(Note: I didn't have 3 8-inch pans so I used 2 9-inch, then split them after they had baked.)

Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Frosting:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese – softened
2 sticks butter – room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 pounds powdered sugar
Chopped pecans ~ optional

Cream together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar until smooth. Apply frosting between layers and on sides of cake. Press chopped pecans onto sides of cake, if desired.

Here's the goods. I used cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. Just add 2 extra tablespoons of cake flour per cup of regular flour.
Here's the goods. I used cake 
flour instead of all-purpose flour. 
Just add 2 extra tablespoons of cake
 flour per cup of regular flour.
 
Cream to together the sugar, butter and Crisco.
Cream to together the sugar, butter and Crisco.
 
Then add the egg yolks, one at a time.
Then add the egg yolks, one at a time.
 
Then add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk/soda mixture..beginning and ending with the flour.
Then add the dry ingredients alternately 
with the buttermilk/soda mixture...
beginning and ending with the flour.
 
Here's what it looks like to this point.
Here's what it looks like to this point.
 
Whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
Whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
 
Fold in a small amount of egg white....
Fold in a small amount of egg white....
 
then work on folding in the rest.
then work on folding in the rest.
 
You want to nice light batter.
You want to nice light batter.
 
Then add the coconut and chopped pecans.
Then add the coconut and chopped pecans.
 
Divide into your pans. I used 2 9-inch pans but 3 8-inch works, too.
Divide into your pans. I used 2 9-inch 
pans but 3 8-inch works, too.
 
All baked and cooled.
All baked and cooled.
 
If you're using 3 8-inch pans, you can skip this step. If you're using the 9-inch pans, split each layer then frost between each layer. I didn't post pictures of the frosting cuz I figured you're a bunch of smarties and know how to do that. Also...I forgot.
If you're using 3 8-inch pans, you 
can skip this step. If you're using the
9-inch pans, split each layer then frost 
between each layer. I didn't post pictures 
of the frosting cuz I figured you're a bunch 
of smarties and know how to do that. Also...I forgot.
 
Yum!!
Yum!!