I love my husband.  I love when he has a birthday because I get to shower him with gifts, and a special birthday dinner.  I really love that his favorite cake is Italian cream because that is also MY favorite cake!  What are the chances?  We were meant to be.  So, when November 30th rolls around I have a great reason to make this cake.  It is so perfect.

I have several recipes for this cake.  All 3 are from mothers of my college friends.  They are hand written and marked with water, cake batter, and one is even scorched on the edge.  I love when recipes get like that.  I like to see the differences in recipes and figure out how those differences effect the end product.  With these recipes however, the ingredients and processes are almost identical.  This leaves me to conclude that over time this recipe has been perfected and therefore should not be messed with.

Every recipe used  butter and shortening.  Every recipe used 5 eggs, yolks and whites separated, the same amount of sugar, flour, vanilla etc.  Maybe all 3 mothers referenced the same Junior League Cookbook?  Who knows.  All I know is that this cake is delicious.  I love the coconut and pecans in the cake and the smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting that adorns the layers of dense and delicious cake.

So, here it is.  The most terrific Italian Cream Cake…Happy Birthday, Ben!

Italian Cream Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 5 eggs, separated
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

1. In a samll bowl dissolve baking soda in buttermilk and let sit a few minutes.
2. In large bowl beat butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add in egg yolks, one at a time until well incorporated.
4. Mix in flour and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.
5. Mix in coconut and pecans.
6. Gently fold in stiffly beaten egg whites until just incorporated.
7. Pour into 2 or 3 greased and floured 8-inch cake pans.
8. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until tops are light brown and tops spring back when pressed with your finger.
9. Let cool, remove from pans and frost with cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons milk (if needed)

1. Cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
2. Add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Mix in vanilla and milk if the frosting is too thick.