AllenOK
Executive Chef
Ok, I got into a baking mood today. This is something I've been wanting to make for a long time. This recipe is from the club I currently work at, but from 6 years ago. From what I remember, this recipe is supposed to taste EXACTLY like the commercially-prepared Italian Crème Cake served in many restaurants.
Italian Crème Cake
Yields:
From: TCC Files
½ c (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/3 c shortening
1 ¾ c sugar
4 egg yolks
1 t vanilla
1 ¾ c flour
1 ½ t baking powder
¼ t baking soda
¾ c buttermilk
¾ c finely chopped pecans
¾ c toasted coconut
4 egg whites
Simple syrup
For the frosting:
12 oz cream cheese
6 T butter or margarine
1 ½ t vanilla
6 - 7 c (?) powdered sugar
Grease and flour three 8 x 1 ½” or 9 x 1 ½” round baking pans. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and shortening with an electric mixer until combined. Add the sugar, beat on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; beat well. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and soda. Add dry mixture and buttermilk alternately to the beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in the pecans and coconut. Thoroughly wash the beaters.
In a medium mixing bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight up). Stir about 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake batter. Fold in the remaining whites. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake in a 350°F for 25 - 30 minutes for 8” pans (or 18 - 22 minutes for 9” pans), or until cakes test done. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Soak evenly with the simple syrup. Cool completely on wire racks. Frost top of one cake layer with cream cheese frosting. Top with another layer, frost, and then top with the last layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining frosting.
In a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter or margarine, and the vanilla until smooth. Gradually add enough powdered sugar to make of spreading consistency, beating until smooth.
Now, as some of you all know, I don't usually follow a recipe verbatim, and this one was no exception. Also, I'm not really a baker, so anytime I bake, it's hit-or-miss as to whether or not it will turn out.
The changes I made:
-I don't know why, but I have always thought this had almonds in it. When I bought the nuts (I knew it needed nuts, just not sure what kind), I picked up almonds, then found out I needed pecans.
-I think I actually had about 1/4 c of shortening, instead of the 1/3 c listed.
-When I separated the eggs, I broke two of the yolks, and got some of the yolk into the egg whites. I knew the whites wouldn't whip up that well, but went with it anyway. There is chemical leavening, so I was pretty sure that meringue leavening wasn't critical.
-I don't own any round cake pans. I figured I'd bake this in a 9 x 13" pan.
-Simple Syrup was 3/4 c water and 3/4 c sugar.
-I bought some cream cheese frosting (I know, I know, I usually make stuff from scratch).
Well, I made the cake batter as best I could. I baked it, keeping an eye on the cake as I wasn't sure of the cooking time. I timed it for 33 minutes, as I seem to remember using that time figure for a box-mix cake in the same size pan. I tested the cake with a toothpick. I remember reading on another thread about the difficulties of getting a syrupy mixture to soak into a cake. I poked that cake a couple of hundred times with a toothpick, then started brushing the simple syrup over the cake as directed. I frosted the cake about 30 minutes ago, cut it, and served it up to the kids.
Results: Well, honestly, it's been so long since I've tasted the commercial product, I kind of FORGOT what it tasted like! The cake had a great texture, even with the meringue not whipping like it should have. It also had a great, buttery taste, but that could have come from the frosting.
Italian Crème Cake
Yields:
From: TCC Files
½ c (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/3 c shortening
1 ¾ c sugar
4 egg yolks
1 t vanilla
1 ¾ c flour
1 ½ t baking powder
¼ t baking soda
¾ c buttermilk
¾ c finely chopped pecans
¾ c toasted coconut
4 egg whites
Simple syrup
For the frosting:
12 oz cream cheese
6 T butter or margarine
1 ½ t vanilla
6 - 7 c (?) powdered sugar
Grease and flour three 8 x 1 ½” or 9 x 1 ½” round baking pans. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and shortening with an electric mixer until combined. Add the sugar, beat on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; beat well. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and soda. Add dry mixture and buttermilk alternately to the beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in the pecans and coconut. Thoroughly wash the beaters.
In a medium mixing bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight up). Stir about 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake batter. Fold in the remaining whites. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake in a 350°F for 25 - 30 minutes for 8” pans (or 18 - 22 minutes for 9” pans), or until cakes test done. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Soak evenly with the simple syrup. Cool completely on wire racks. Frost top of one cake layer with cream cheese frosting. Top with another layer, frost, and then top with the last layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining frosting.
In a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter or margarine, and the vanilla until smooth. Gradually add enough powdered sugar to make of spreading consistency, beating until smooth.
Now, as some of you all know, I don't usually follow a recipe verbatim, and this one was no exception. Also, I'm not really a baker, so anytime I bake, it's hit-or-miss as to whether or not it will turn out.
The changes I made:
-I don't know why, but I have always thought this had almonds in it. When I bought the nuts (I knew it needed nuts, just not sure what kind), I picked up almonds, then found out I needed pecans.
-I think I actually had about 1/4 c of shortening, instead of the 1/3 c listed.
-When I separated the eggs, I broke two of the yolks, and got some of the yolk into the egg whites. I knew the whites wouldn't whip up that well, but went with it anyway. There is chemical leavening, so I was pretty sure that meringue leavening wasn't critical.
-I don't own any round cake pans. I figured I'd bake this in a 9 x 13" pan.
-Simple Syrup was 3/4 c water and 3/4 c sugar.
-I bought some cream cheese frosting (I know, I know, I usually make stuff from scratch).
Well, I made the cake batter as best I could. I baked it, keeping an eye on the cake as I wasn't sure of the cooking time. I timed it for 33 minutes, as I seem to remember using that time figure for a box-mix cake in the same size pan. I tested the cake with a toothpick. I remember reading on another thread about the difficulties of getting a syrupy mixture to soak into a cake. I poked that cake a couple of hundred times with a toothpick, then started brushing the simple syrup over the cake as directed. I frosted the cake about 30 minutes ago, cut it, and served it up to the kids.
Results: Well, honestly, it's been so long since I've tasted the commercial product, I kind of FORGOT what it tasted like! The cake had a great texture, even with the meringue not whipping like it should have. It also had a great, buttery taste, but that could have come from the frosting.
LOL! Allen! Too funny! If you would follow a recipe as it is written, you really can avoid the "hit or miss" and actually have a successful outcome!!!
