Usually when I'm making a cake for someone else, I try not to use recipes I've never tested before because who knows how it will turn out. Then you've got this terrible cake that you would never eat yourself, much less give it to someone else and tell them, "I baked it with love!!" Yikes.

I had no time to test this Italian Cream Cake before I made it for one of my husband's co-workers, but thank goodness it was delicious! He was able to bring a slice home for me to taste and even I was surprised how yummy it was. No wonder they were all still talking about it the next week! I can't wait to make it one week to bring to Finn McCool's for one of the Saints game cookoffs!

I haven't been baking much at all this summer because it's just too dang hot to turn on the oven and the little baking I have been doing is in the weee hours of the night when I can at least turn it on without suffocating in the kitchen, but finding this little gem was totally worth it! I used the organic coconut you get from the bulk foods section and I really liked that this recipe didn't have any coconut on the outside of the cake. The overall  texture was really nice without having too much coconut. My husband hates coconut cakes and even when I had him taste the batter he wasn't too impressed. The final product comes together nicely with the cream cheese frosting and I think this recipe is definitely a keeper!

Aunt Tom's Italian Cream Cake adapted from Epicurious
Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening at room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter at room temperature
5 large eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly butter and flour three 9- by 2-inch round cake pans.
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat shortening and butter and add in sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. In another bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt. 
3. Beat flour mixture into egg mixture in two batches alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until combined. Beat in vanilla, coconut, and chopped pecans. 
4. Beat egg whites in another bowl (I used the flour bowl again) until they just hold stiff peaks and fold into batter gently but thoroughly.
5. Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in the middle of oven, switching position of pans in oven halfway through baking for about 30 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, beating until creamy. Add in vanilla.
7. Stack cake layers on a cake plate, spreading about 1/2 cup frosting between each layer. Spread remaining frosting on top and side of cake.

Happy Baking!