ITALIAN WEDDING CAKE

Italian Wedding Cake image

Provided by Donata Natalino

Categories Cakes

Time 1h10m

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 box white cake mix
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c buttermilk
3 egg whites
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
8 oz can of crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 c sweetened flake coconut
2 c pecans, chopped, divided
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 c butter, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 c confectioners' sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Lightly coat 3 8 inch cake pans with cooking spray: set aside
3. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1 stick of butter, buttermilk, egg whites and extracts. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in crushed pineapple, coconut and 1 cup of pecans. Pour batter in the prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for approx. 30 - 35 minutes or until tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool.
5. While cake is cooling, cream together remaining butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla and confectioners sugar until blended and smooth. If your frosting is too thick add a teaspoon of milk at a time until it reached the desired consistency.
6. Frost layers and outside of cake. Add remaining pecans as garnish on outside of cake. If desired pecans can be added to frosting instead.