Italian Cream Cake (Italian Wedding Cake)

**Make the cake.** 1. Make the buttermilk by mixing non-dairy milk with the vinegar in a medium bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Depending on your milk, it may curdle a lot or just slightly. It’s fine either way. Add the oil, coconut cream or yogurt, almond extract, and vanilla to the bowl, then set aside. 2. In another bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until well combined. Add half of the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold them in gently. Then, add the rest of the wet mixture and fold in again until there is none of the milky mixture remaining and there are no dry flour clumps. The batter will be slightly thicker than regular cake batter, more like muffin batter. If it’s too thick, you can add up to 3 teaspoons of non-dairy milk. If it’s too thin, add about a tablespoon of flour. Whether you need to make adjustments will depend on how you measured your ingredients, the brand of flour you used, etc. 3. Line an 8x8” or 9” round cake pan with parchment paper or grease it really well, and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Pour in the batter, spread it evenly, and tap the pan to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 25 minutes, then test with a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Otherwise, bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove and transfer it to a serving plate. **Meanwhile, prep the cream cheese frosting and toppings.** 4. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, vegan butter, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extract. Whip until fluffy with your spatula, incorporating some air, until the butter is well combined. Taste and adjust the flavor. Add powdered sugar, if you prefer it sweeter, and sugar and more butter if you want it less tangy. 5. Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, add the pecans and toast them for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Remove them from the skillet and chop, then toast the coconut in the same skillet for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring every 15 to 30 seconds, until it starts turning golden. It browns quickly, so watch it closely. Set both of these aside to cool in separate bowls. **Assemble the Italian wedding cake.** 6. Once the cake is completely cool, frost with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with toasted pecans and coconut. Optionally, frost the sides and press extra coconut onto the sides for a prettier finish.