Friday, February 4, 2011

Italian Creme Cake~ An Italian Imposter?

Italian or Southern? Either way I am eating it!!
This was my first attempt at Italian Creme Cake.

It was a request from a friend for her husand's birthday, so I went searching for info. for the perfect Italian Creme Cake recipe, not even knowing what that should really be, but looking at various trusted sources I finally came up with one I trusted.

Interestingly enough I became a little more confused about the whole "Italian" part as to whether this is a cake of Italian origin or not.

This is why I hate names like this, it is so misleading,
 I digress back to my "Real Deal Cheesecake" and my refusal to call it "NY style" cheesecake since I am not from NY and never been to NY. (sure I have had cheesecakes that claim to be "NY style" but again...)

So, anyways, I thought now would be the time to share this recipe with Valentine's Day coming up! 

Why not celebrate with some layers of goodness?!!!

Very sweet, just right cake with coconut and nuts, layered with yummy cream cheese frosting and stacked high!

Italian Creme Cake
Adapted from Savannah Style




Ingredients

Cake
½ C. butter
½ C. shortening
2 C. sugar
5 eggs seperated
2 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 ½ oz.coconut
1 C. nuts chopped

Icing
1 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Cream butter,shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg yolks. Mix well.

Sift flour and soda together.

Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.

Add vanilla, coconut, and nuts.

Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Pour into three 9 inch greased and floured cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 min. or until done.

For Icing:

Cream butter and cream cheese.

Add sugar and vanilla. Mix well until smooth and creamy.

Add milk 1 tsp. at a time if too thick until spreading consistency.

Frost cooled cake.

Garnish with nuts and coconut as desired.

The pictures really do not do this cake justice. It is so sweet, yet light. Just melts in your mouth.

It would surely delight anyone to receive this for Valentine's Day!

Funny too that it seems to still be up in the air as to whether it is truly an Italian or Southern origin recipe. I lean more towards a southern recipe.

Don't ask me why, my gut just tells me so, it crops up in so many old southern cookbooks and resembles the hummingbird cake, but then again, America is a melting pot, so it could be Italian!

So, any thoughts, Italian or Southern origin???

Again, either way it is yummy and I am eating it!! over and over!

Until Next Time,
Happy Baking

Lynn

(and don't rack your brain too much over whether it is Italian or Southern, Just enjoy it!)

Tidy Mom
Check out what everybody is loving!
I am still loving my Peanut Butter Fudge Birthday Cheesecake!












9 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous cake, and I bet absolutely scrumptious too! Mmm, I love all those warm and sweet flavors. Thanks for sharing, Lynn!

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  2. Thanks Georgia! It is a must try!
    Another one of those you can't get enough of!

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  3. The cake sounds and looks so yummy - who cares what it origin is! The important thing is to bake it and share it with people you love.

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  4. Looks fantastic :) thanks for recipe and kind words over Chef's Dennis blog :)

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  5. Yum, yum, yum! It looks so simple yet delicate! Thank you for sharing!

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  6. oh Lynn
    no matter what you call it, just please call me for a big slice of that lovely cake! You said the magic word when you said cream cheese frosting!
    I'm sure this cake was a big hit!
    Dennis

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  7. I agree: Italian Creme Cake or whatever it's called, one thing is for sure it looks just fabulous!

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  8. Oh my that is a beautiful cake. Wonderful job.

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  9. Whatever you call it, I want some!

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