Italian Cream Cake

Recipe from Cooking Light. Delicious...you get the indulgence with only a little of the guilt.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• cake

• 2  teaspoons cake flour
• 1⁄3 cup butter, softened
• 1 -4  cup sugar
• 2  large  egg yolks
• 2  cups cake flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped pecans, toasted
• 1  teaspoon  coconut extract
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6  large eggs

• frosting

• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1⁄2 cup low-fat cream cheese
• 3 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Coat bottoms only of 2 9" round cake pans with cooking spray.
3. Line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray and dust with 2 tbs cake flour. Set aside.
4. Place 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl and beat with mixer until creamy.
5. Gradually add sugar, beating well.
6. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each.
7. Lightly spoon w cups flour into dry measuring cups and level with knife.
8. Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda and salt, stir well.
9. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
10. Stir in pecans, coconut extract and 1 tsp vanilla.
11. Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, being careful not to overbeat.
12. Fold egg whites into batter, pour batter into prepared pans.
13. Bake for 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
14. Cook in pans for 5 minutes on wire racks. Loosen cake layers from sides of pans and remove from pans.
15. Remove and discard wax paper. Cool completely.
16. To prepare frosting:
17. place 1 T butter and cream cheese in a large bowl.
18. Beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy.
19. Gradually add powdered sugar , beating at low speed until smooth. Do not overbeat.
20. Add 1 tsp vanilla, beat well.
21. Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread with 1/3 of frosting.
22. Top with other cake layer and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.