Preheat oven: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and extracts: Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
Fold in coconut and pecans: Gently fold in shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
Bake: Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Optional glaze: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.
This cake is rich, moist, and full of flavor with the sweetness of coconut and crunch of pecans—a true Italian dessert classic! 😍
I can also provide a bundt pan version that’s even easier to slice and serves beautifully for gatherings. Do you want that version?
