Coconut Pound Cake

Coconut Pound Cake - made November 18, 2018 from Chef in Training

I've been doing a fair amount of baking, off and on, whenever I can. It comes and goes in spurts, whenever I have time. Which, at this time of the year, between work and the holidays, isn't that often so when I do have a few hours, I tend to whip up batches of cookie dough so I have something to bake for the holiday gatherings.

But I had just enough time one weekend to also make this coconut pound cake, a recipe for which I'd been eyeing for awhile since I love coconut and I've had good success with Chef in Training's recipes.

I did one deviation from the original recipe in that I substituted additional vanilla extract for the coconut extract called for in the recipe. I love coconut; I hate coconut extract. Too artificial tasting. So this might not be as coconut-ty as originally meant but I prefer the more natural flavor of the coconut in the recipe than the tinny taste of coconut extract.

The flavor on this was good and it's best served warm (personal preference) for optimal texture. It's not as firm as a typical pound cake but not as light as a cakey-cake either but is somewhere in between.

1 cup butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons coconut extract (I used vanilla extract)
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Coconut glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla extract and coconut extract for 3 to 5 minutes until well combined.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined.
4. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in coconut.
5. Grease and flour 2 large bread pans or 3 small loaf pans. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly between bake. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let loaves cool.
6. Coconut glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, milk and extracts together until smooth glaze forms. Pour over each loaf.