Italian Cream Cake (Low Sugar)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375F.

Step 2: In an electric mixer, mix cake mix, buttermilk, melted coconut oil, and egg yolks until smooth. Mix in chopped pecans and coconut.

Step 3: In an electric mixer (I have 2 bowls- if you only have one, empty out the batter into a mixing bowl; clean your mixer bowl and dry it thoroughly before using in the next step). Beat the three egg whites until stiff; gently fold egg whites into cake batter.

Step 4: Pour batter into well greased and flour coated cake pans of your choice. Bake as directed for your type of cake pan. Usually these cakes are done as a triple layer cake, but I am lay-zee and often choose to just make a cake in an oblong cake pan. It fits in my refrigerator more easily as well.

Step 5: Allow cake to cool. Meanwhile, prepare cream cheese frosting by blending the softened cream cheese with half of the sugar free frosting; spread over cake.

Step 6: Sprinkle additional chopped pecans over the top of the frosting.

Step 7: Use remaining frosting for another use, or mix with just a tiny dab of the gel coloring (a dab goes a VERY long way), place into piping bag and use to decorate your cake as desired.

Step 8: Refrigerate cake until needed, and again with any uneaten portions.