Italian Cream Cake Cupcakes

Italian cream cake is one of the quintessential classic cakes.  When I think of classic cakes that have been around for years and recipes that have been passed from generation to generation there are a few that come to mind and this is definitely one of them.  I know this cake has been a staple and family favorite in my family for as long as I can remember.  It's classic, simple, elegant and delicious.  What more could you want in a dessert?  Nothing!

I love trying new recipes, but sometimes I get lost in the hype of all these new and popular recipes and I forget about the classics.  This is one of those cakes that has gotten pushed to the back of my recipe file; although not forgotten but overlooked for quite some time.  I was so glad when I had somebody request this cake for their birthday.  The words no sooner left their mouth before I was craving one of these cakes.  Over the past few months I've made numerous Italian Cream Cakes, and I've even been able to enjoy a piece or two along the way.  I had actually forgotten just how good this cake was.  It's delicious and so perfectly moist.  It's soft, fluffy, crunchy from the pecans and topped with a perfectly creamy frosting.  Each bite is a little taste of heaven that brings back so many memories from my childhood.  For a time this recipe was pushed to the back of the archives, but not anymore.  This is one that remains a classic but is at the front of my collection and just waiting to be made again. 

Italian Cream Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cake-

1 Stick butter
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
2 Cups sugar
5 Eggs separated
2 Cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Cup buttermilk
1 1/2-2 Cups shredded coconut, plus additional for garnish
1 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
1 Cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

For the frosting-

8 Ounces cream cheese
2 Sticks butter
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1 Box (16 oz) confectioners sugar
1 Tsp Buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place cupcake liners in pan and set aside.

Beat eggwhites in a small bowl until stiff and set aside.

Cream butter and oil with sugar and vanilla, using mixer on "high" setting. Add the egg yolks to the butter, sugar, oil mixture and beat until fluffy.

In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, about 1/2 cup at a time.

Stir in pecans and coconut. Gently fold eggwhites into the batter, turning spoon in a fugure-8 pattern.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake pans.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, until cupcakes are golden in color and springy to touch.  Remove from oven and place on cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

For the frosting-

Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and turn mixer on medium to combine the two.  Once ingredients are incorporated add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until combined.  Add the vanilla and buttermilk and mix. 
*if the frosting is too runny add more powdered sugar.  If it is too stiff add a little more buttermilk.

Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a decorative and pipe cupcakes as desired.
*For this particular cupcake, I spread the frosting on with a offset spatula and then rolled in coconut.

Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from the Red Bird Cafe (I can no longer find the link for this recipe)