Italian Cream Pound Cake
Indulge in this classic Italian cream pound cake recipe with coconut and pecans. Perfectly moist, buttery, and rich - the ultimate dessert for any occasion.
Equipment
- oven
- 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan
- large mixing bowl
- electric mixer
- spatula
- medium bowl
- whisk
- wire rack
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup Bundt pan, ensuring all interior surfaces and crevices are thoroughly coated to prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar for 5 to 7 minutes. Continue beating until the mixture is light, fluffy, and has turned a pale yellow color. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium. Add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until it is fully incorporated into the mixture. The batter may appear slightly curdled initially, but it will smooth out as you continue to beat. Beat until the mixture is cohesive and creamy.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt thoroughly until they are well combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, begin adding the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Start by adding one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk, then another third of the flour, followed by the remaining buttermilk, and finally the last third of the flour mixture. Mix just until combined and smooth, being careful not to overmix the batter. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gently fold the sweetened flaked coconut and finely chopped pecans into the batter using a spatula. Mix until the coconut and pecans are evenly distributed throughout the cake batter without deflating it.
- Pour the prepared batter evenly into your greased and floured tube or Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. The cake is done when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the very center of the cake comes out clean, and the top is golden brown and feels firm to the touch.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes before carefully inverting it onto the wire rack. Let the cake cool completely on the wire rack, which typically takes at least 1 hour, before slicing and serving.
Notes
Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for best results. Cool the cake completely before slicing for clean cuts.