This lighter take on Italian Cream Cake has been on my must-make list for years. I first spotted the recipe in a magazine back in the 1990s and finally decided to make it for Easter. The version I made keeps the classic flavors—pecans, a hint of coconut and a creamy frosting—while trimming a few of the richer elements for a lighter finish.

I’ve kept the original magazine and a cookbook that also featured this cake. Cookbooks and cooking magazines are a weakness of mine—I collect them and love to flip through them for ideas. Sometimes I add more to the shelves than I should, but the recipes are always worth it when one finally makes it into the oven.

This recipe is reminiscent of carrot cake if you enjoy the nutty texture of carrot cake, but without the carrots. For a lighter version, I reduced the number of eggs and pecans and excluded shredded coconut, relying instead on coconut extract for flavor. At one point I almost changed the recipe completely because I didn’t have the extract—my husband kindly ran to the store so I could stay true to the original flavor.

The method is straightforward: cream butter and sugar, add yolks, alternate dry and wet ingredients, fold in chopped pecans, then gently fold in whipped egg whites. Alternating the dry and wet additions helps preserve the air whipped into the butter, keeping the batter light. Folding in whipped egg whites gives the final lift, so it’s worth the extra step.

Important tips: use a perfectly clean, dry bowl and beaters when whipping egg whites—fat prevents proper whipping. Start on low speed until the whites are foamy, increase speed until they’re opaque, then beat to stiff peaks but do not overbeat or they will break. When folding, be gentle: cut through the center with a spatula and sweep around the side of the bowl, turning and repeating until no streaks remain.

Divide the batter evenly into three 9-inch pans; because the layers are thin, they’ll bake relatively quickly—check at the early end of the baking time so the layers don’t overbake. Once cooled, I used my favorite whipped cream and cream cheese frosting as the filling and exterior frosting. One batch of frosting provided a balanced amount for both filling and crumb coating; if you prefer very thick frosting layers, double the frosting recipe.

I finished the cake with a decorative border of chopped pecans to highlight the pecan flavor inside. The result was moist, tender layers with a subtle coconut note and a frosting that’s creamy and not overly sweet. Everyone who tried it loved it—now I wish I had made it sooner.

Don’t wait to try this one. It’s a classic Southern-style cake with a lighter touch that still delivers the texture and flavor that make Italian Cream Cake so beloved.

Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup low fat buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon butter extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup chopped pecans
6 egg whites, room temperature

For the frosting:

One recipe Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting (use your preferred whipped cream/cream cheese frosting recipe)

For decorating:

Chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray only the bottoms of three 9-inch round pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment, spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
Whisk flour and baking soda together; set aside.
Stir buttermilk with butter, coconut and vanilla extracts; set aside.
Beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the butter, beginning and ending with the flour (add 1/3 flour, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 flour, 1/2 buttermilk, finish with remaining flour).
Fold in the chopped pecans and set batter aside.
In a clean, fat-free bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whites into the batter until there are no visible streaks.
Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans.
Bake 18–23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Allow cakes to cool in pans for 5 minutes, loosen edges, then turn out onto racks to cool completely.
When cool, assemble and fill with the whipped cream cream cheese frosting. Frost the outside and decorate the bottom border with additional chopped pecans, if desired.
Store the finished cake in the refrigerator.

Notes

* Store the cake in the refrigerator; it is best served at room temperature for flavor, though some prefer it cold.

* This recipe requires 6 eggs: you’ll use 6 whites and only 2 yolks, leaving 4 yolks unused. Leftover yolks are great for custards, curds or other recipes.

* If you prefer thicker filling and frosting layers, increase the frosting quantity by 1.5 to 2 times.

* Room temperature ingredients (eggs, butter, buttermilk) incorporate more easily and yield a smoother batter. Egg whites whip more readily when at room temperature.

* Ensure the bowl and beaters used for whipping egg whites are completely free of fat—clean with vinegar if necessary. Start whipping on low speed and gradually increase to avoid overbeating. Stop when stiff peaks form.

* Toasted pecans add deeper flavor—toast them in advance and allow to cool completely before adding to the batter or using for decoration.

* Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Five Star Recipes.