Caramel Italian Cream Cake is a delicious blend of two favorite southern desserts. It’s a wonderful combination of flavors and makes a great holiday cake. I bake an Italian Cream Cake every Christmas. I love the combination of pecans and coconut.
Recently I saw a recipe for a Caramel Italian Cream Cake in a cookbook and knew I had to try it. Southern dessert doesn’t get any better than this.
As far as frosting is concerned, I wanted this cake to have the best of both worlds. A rich, sugary caramel icing and a cream cheese coconut-pecan frosting. Two icings are better than one, aren’t they?
You better hope someone else is nearby to help you lick the frosting bowls. They are both to die for!
I spread the caramel icing between the cake layers and on top and covered the sides as well as the top with the cream cheese frosting.
This truly is a spectacular cake that is worthy of being your Christmas dessert!
Try These Other Southern Layer Cakes:
Caramel Italian Cream Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup butter (salted), softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
Caramel Frosting
- 1 cup butter (salted)
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted or whisked to remove clumps
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 tablespoons butter (salted), softened
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
To Decorate Cake
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, (You can toast it or use it as is)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans.
- Use an electric mixer to beat butter and shortening until fluffy.
- Gradually add granulated sugar and dark brown sugar, mixing well.
- Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until mixed in before adding next one.
- Beat in vanilla.
- Whisk together flour and baking soda in a medium bowl and add it to butter mixture alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed between additions.
- Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans and 1 cup coconut.
- Beat egg whites with a whisk attachment at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter in 3 additions. Here are some good instructions for folding egg whites into batter.
- Divide batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
- To make Caramel Frosting, bring the butter, light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Boil for about 6 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stir in heavy cream, whisking until it gets smooth. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, gradually beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat for 10 minutes at medium speed. Use immediately.
- Spread half of Caramel frosting between cake layers and the remaining half on top of the cake. Do not use any for the sides of the cake.
- To make Cream Cheese Frosting, beat butter and cream cheese ate medium speed. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla. Stir in shopped pecans.
- Spread on sides and top of cake.
- Press shredded coconut into sides of cake. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
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Recipe adapted from Recipe Revival
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What a beautiful cake! This recipe is going to the top of my to-bake list.