Alma's Italian Cream Cake

I really looked forward to making this cake since I had heard such rave review on Italian cakes in the past. Yes, it has coconut and walnuts! This recipe is from Cat Cora's "Cooking from the Hip." It has to be one of my favorite in the recommendations of the book "All Cakes Considered." I liked it so much that I choose to put the recipe on the blog.spot. You have to make this one!

From the original recipe, I changed the cake flour to regular flour and did not bake the walnuts before chopping. The recipe has been changed to reflect these two modifications. Also, I did add 1/4 teaspoon of coconut extract to the batter and to the frosting just to livin' up the flavor a bit, which is not listed in the recipe below.

You'll need:
Two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans
A food processor
A whisk attachment and extra bowl for mixer

For the cake:
2 cups walnuts
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, separated
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
One 16-ounce package confectioners' sugar (about 3-3/4 cups)

To make the cake:
1. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake pans with vegetable shortening and flour.

2. In a food processor, finely chop nut until they resemble very coarse flour. Set aside 1 cup for the cake batter and reserve the remaining cup for the frosting and for sprinkling on top of the cake.

3. Set aside 1/2 cup of sugar. Cream the butter in the mixer at medium speed, and gradually add the remaining 1-1/2 cups of the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. In a separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

5. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, 1 cup of flour mix for every 1/2 cup of buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Continue until all the flour and buttermilk are mixed in.

6. Add the vanilla extract, 1 cup of the chopped walnuts, and the coconut and beat until well blended.

7. Set the batter aside while you beat the egg whites. Switch to a clean mixer bowl and replace the paddle or beaters with a whisk attachment.

8. Whip the egg whites on high speed until frothy, then continue whisking while gradually adding the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. The egg whites should be form stiff, but not dry, peaks.

9. Fold the egg whites into the batter in thirds, making sure each time that the egg whites are completely incorporated. All together, the folding will take between 10 and 15 full rotations of the bowl. Be gentle.

10. Pour the batter into the pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake layers test done.

11. Cool the layers in the pans for 10 minutes, then unmold onto cake racks. Allow to cool to room temperature.

To make the frosting:
12. Cream the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed and add the vanilla extract.

13. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, until blended.

14. Kick up the mixer to high gear and beat the frosting until very smooth. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved chopped walnuts. (You should have 1/2 cup left.)

Constructing the cake:
15. Frost the crown of the cake and the sides last.

16. Then put the cake in the refrigerator to firm up the frosting. About 30 minutes before serving, press the remaining 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts into the crown of the cake.