Italian Cream Cake (or Cup Cakes)

Note from Marie: My youngest brother, Matt, loves cakes, especially on his birthday. And this Italian Cream Cake is one of his favorites. I love it too, not only because it is easy to make. I love the texture of the pecans and coconut against the soft cake and creamy icing. I love the slight bitterness that the buttermilk adds to offset the sugar and sweetened coconut. The buttermilk also helps to keep the cake -- as any cake should be -- moist and memorable. I hope you enjoy this cake as much as Matt does.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

2 cups white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

6 eggs (large)

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut

For Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. In separate bowl, mix flour and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk and beating in between. Add and beat in eggs. Fold in pecans and coconut.

For cakes:

Pour batter into three greased 9-inch round cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Cool completely.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add a drop or two of food coloring if you want to a colored top.

Spread over the top of one cooled cake round. Place a second cake round on top of the first, and spread icing over top of it. Place the third cake round on top of the second, and spread icing over the entire cake.

For cupcakes:

Place cupcake papers in muffin tins. Then fill each paper about 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool completely.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add a drop or two of food coloring if you want to a colored top.

Spread generous amount of icing over each cupcake.