Chocolate Italian Cream Cake
At the Chisholm Trail Roundup Baking Contest, there were a few division winners that truly stood out as extraordinary. This Chocolate Italian Cream Cake brought in by Evie Kemp was definitely one of them. The cake was light and delicate with a tender crumb. Combined with the addition of a remarkable chocolate cream cheese frosting and it quickly became a favorite among the judges.
Here is Evie Kemp's recipe for this award-winning cake. Be sure when separating the eggs to keep the whites totally free of oil an any portion of the yolks. Make sure the cake has cooled for several hours before frosting it.
Chocolate Italian Cream Cake
½ cup softened butter
½ cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups Texas Pure Milling All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup coconut
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans or cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pans to allow for easy removal of the cake once it is baked.
Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time and mix well between each addition.
Sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk and coconut.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Fold the egg whites gently into the batter until well combined and light.
Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake and comes out clean.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
8 oz. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
2 lb. powdered sugar
½ cup baking cocoa
2 cups toasted pecan
Directions:
Cream butter and cream cheese.
Add the vanilla, sugar, cocoa and beat well until the frosting is a smooth and spreadable consistency.
Spread between the layers and over the sides and top of the cake. Decorate the sides of the with toasted pecans.
Top with chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate curls if desired.
