Italian Cream Cake Cheese Ball
The classic cake full of coconut, pecans, and cream cheese is now a cheese ball! This Italian Cream Cake Cheese Ball is dessert and the perfect party food too!
Italian Cream Cake
I’m not sure if you have heard of an Italian Cream Cake before this post or not, but I will say that it is not what you expect.
My family owned an Italian restaurant that they purchased from “Tony the Greek” when I was younger as you might have read in my post for Kathy’s World Famous Garlic Knots from Pizza Dough, but until I went away to college in Tennessee did I see or hear about an Italian Cream Cake.
Imagine seeing an Italian Cream Cake in the bakery department in the local Kroger’s food store?!? In Tennessee!
Being that I love Italian food, I jumped at the chance to try it, bought the whole cake, and took it back to my dorm poised and ready with a disposable fork.
I have to say that there is nothing “Italian” about the Italian Cream Cake…
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What is an Italian Cream Cake?
The Italian Cream Cake I purchase was basically a yellow cake with pecans and coconut added to it and covered with a cream cheese frosting that is studded with coconut and pecans. What about coconut and pecans sounds Italian?
When I think of Italian desserts I immediately think of cannoli, tiramisu, and zeppole. None of which contain coconut or pecans…
- Basic Yellow Cake
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Toasted Coconut
- Toasted Pecans
Come to find out it is really a Southern made dessert and someone slapped the name Italian Cream Cake on it. What a disappointment to my Italian loving ears but was it really the original “click-bait” that everyone is using now to get you to buy it/taste it/make it?
I certainly bought the cake out of curiosity. Luckily for me, I love pecans and coconut. Oh, and cream cheese frosting!
Italian Cream Cake Cheese Ball Recipe
Italian Cream Cake is amazing because the pecans and coconut make an incredible combination! Do you know what else is an incredible combination? Cheese balls and sweets. A sweet cheese ball?
As I have stated before, Cheese Balls are the perfect party food! I totally love a cheese ball and some crackers to shovel it in my mouth with.
How about instead of all the savory cheese balls out there, a dessert cheese ball that makes me seem like I am eating a “decent” meal and dessert at the same time?!?!
This gave me the idea for a dessert cheese ball with all the benefits of an Italian Cream Cake.
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I serve my Italian Cream Cake Cheese Ball with cookies and cookie sticks. My favorites ones are these Thin Biscotti Cookies. There are a ton of different flavors but nothing beats the Double Dark Chocolate Almond ones!
The chocolate goes so well with the Italian Cream Cake flavors. I also love serving this with Cinnamon Graham Cracker Sticks. They make chocolate ones too.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!
Even though this Italian Cream Cake Cheese Ball is sweet in nature, feel free to serve it at the beginning of your party and skip right to the fun parts!
Italian Cream Cake Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup pecans toasted, divided
- 1/2 cup coconut toasted, divided
- biscotti and crackers for serving
Instructions
Italian Cream Cake Cheese Ball
- Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and half the pecans and half the coconut together in a bowl.
- Shape into a ball.
- Mix the remaining coconut and pecans together and place on a plate or shallow bowl.
- Roll the Italian Cream Cake Cheese Ball in the mixed pecans and coconut to coat the ball evenly.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Serve with cracker sticks, cookies, but my favorite is the thin biscotti!
Notes
Nutrition
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Can the powered sugar be substituted with Swerve brand powered sugar to make this reverie more low carb/diabetic friendly?
It sure can! Just add a slightly lower amount and test the sweetness and I have found that the swerve tastes a little sweeter to me. Thanks!
I made this for a 4th of July party and it was a hit! I’ve shared the recipe with 5 people already!!!
I’m really excited to try this!! All my favorites in one place!!
I keep seeing these sweet cheeseballs and have never attempted to serve on myself. This is going to change right now… this cheese ball has my name ALL over it! making my grocery list now!
Ingenious ides!! I love the cheeseball — serving it on those biscotti cookies? Over the top delicious!
Yes, I would definitely buy this/make this/try this! 😀 What a fabulous dessert, creative and so fun for a party!!
What a great idea! I’m going to try making it so I can do one when guests come over. So excited.
What a great idea! I’m going to try making it so I can do one when guests come over. So excited.
You could put any name on that baby and I’d love it! Making a ball means I can have it as an appetizer and a dessert!
This sounds like such an awesome idea! This sounds so up my alley!
This sounds like such an awesome idea! This sounds so up my alley!
Ingenious ides!! I love the cheeseball — serving it on those biscotti cookies? Over the top delicious!
I keep seeing these sweet cheeseballs and have never attempted to serve on myself. This is going to change right now… this cheese ball has my name ALL over it! making my grocery list now!
Yes, I would definitely buy this/make this/try this! 😀 What a fabulous dessert, creative and so fun for a party!!
I love cheese balls for appetizers or desserts. They’re so creamy and delicious. I have to be careful or I’ll eat the WHOLE THING!
I love cheese balls for appetizers or desserts. They’re so creamy and delicious. I have to be careful or I’ll eat the WHOLE THING!
You could put any name on that baby and I’d love it! Making a ball means I can have it as an appetizer and a dessert!