This Vintage Italian Cake May Actually Be From The Southern States - Tasting Table

"America's Deep South holds many secrets. In the kitchen, these lie in the lighthearted realm, giving rise to family recipes with purported mystical origins. That's perhaps why this legendary cake seems to have appeared like magic, with no actual knowledge of who dreamed it up. It may be called Italian cream cake, but contrary to the name, it seems to have risen from Southern kitchens in the 1900s - perhaps from a baker with origins in Italy, but we can't be sure."

"What is certain is that the creamy-crunchy delight that young chefs call vintage and grandmas can make blindfolded has a central ingredient: pecans. And it's this inclusion that gives some credence to the American birth story. Endless pecan orchards dot Southern landscapes like crooked long-armed bandits, growing heavy with their bounty as autumn harvest draws near. At least 10 pecan-growing states lie in what's loosely called Southern territory, including Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas, both Carolinas, and Texas - where some claim the cake potentially originated."

"Theories abound, but one popular idea is that Italian immigrant bakers in the South adapted familiar flavors from home to local tastes, evolving and spreading through community cookbooks and social clubs. It eventually became a staple among beloved Southern desserts, elevated by the idea of exotic Italian sweets. Keep in mind, however, that this cake is nothing like Italian lemon cream cake, which is a recipe actually from Italy."

Italian cream cake likely originated in the American Deep South in the early 1900s, though exact origins remain unclear. The cake centers on pecans, often combined with shredded coconut folded into a tender white or yellow buttermilk cake and finished with a pecan-studded cream cheese frosting. Pecan availability across at least ten Southern states supports an American origin. One theory credits Italian immigrant bakers adapting familiar flavors to Southern ingredients, spreading the recipe through community cookbooks and social clubs. Recipe variations may include additions such as ricotta cheese, and the cake differs from Italian lemon cream cake from Italy.

Read at Tasting Table