Gourmet Shop Italian Cream Cake Food

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE (FROM BETH LOTT'S MOM)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together onto a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted ingredients in batches alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, and gently fold into the prepared batter. Add the coconut, pecans and vanilla and fold into the batter. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of each cake. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. When the cakes are completely cool, stack the layers with the frosting and frost the sides and top.
• While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the nuts and fold together. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to frost the cake.

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
• Add vanilla; beat until blended.
• Combine flour and soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Beat at low speed until blended after each addition.
• Stir in coconut.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.
• Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round baking cakepans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.
• Spread Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
• Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium speed with and electric mixer until creamy.
• Add sugar, beating at low speed until blended.
• Beat at high speed until smooth; stir in pecans.

AUNT TOM'S ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. and lightly butter and flour three 9- by 2-inch round cake pans, knocking out any excess flour.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together sugar, shortening, and margarine until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Into another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat flour mixture into egg mixture in 2 batches alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until combined. Beat in vanilla, coconut, and chopped pecans. Beat egg whites in another bowl until they just hold stiff peaks and fold into batter gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper two thirds of oven, switching position of pans in oven halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely.
• Make frosting:
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together cream cheese, margarine, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, beating until creamy.
• 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.

GOURMET SHOP ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Prepare 3-9" cake pans with grease and flours.
• In bowl, with mixer, beat shortening, sugar and margarine until fluffy. Add yolks one at a time.
• In another bowl, sift together flour, soda and salt. Alternating with buttermilk, beat into shortening. Begin and end with flour. Beat in vanilla, coconut and pecans.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks; fold into batter. Pour into pans, smooth top. Bake in upper 2/3 of oven; switch positions halfway through baking. Bake 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Remove from pan to rack until cool.
• With mixer, beat together cream cheese, margarine, vanilla and confectioner's sugar for the frosting. Frost cooled cake.
• If desired, top with toasted chopped pecans or toasted coconut.

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• For Cake: HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with no-stick cooking spray with flour. Beat shortening in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time; beat until blended after each addition. Add vanilla; beat until blended.
• COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt; stir well. Add to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in coconut and pecans.
• BEAT egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared baking pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
• For Frosting: MIX cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and butter in large bowl at low speed of electric mixer until ingredients are well combined. Beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish top of cake, if desired, with coconut and pecans and sprinkle coconut around bottom of cake. Chill several hours or until serving time.

ITALIAN CREAM-FILLED CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in zest and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap. Refrigerate 1 portion and freeze 1 portion for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll refrigerated portion of dough to fit a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Refrigerate while making filling., Meanwhile, for filling, in a large bowl, combine yogurt, sour cream, flour and vanilla. With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold into yogurt mixture. Spread evenly over crust., Using a box grater, grate frozen dough portion over filling. Press lightly into filling. Bake until puffed and edges are light brown, 30-35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars; if desired, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers.