A Southern Grace: the picture of purity

October 9, 2009

the picture of purity

Yum

Sadly, it was impossible for someone of my limited photography skills to capture the pure, pristine whiteness of this cake with a mere digital camera. I guess you need two eyeballs (or maybe even just one) and a first-person viewing for that to happen.


Or maybe I just need to work on my picture-taking.

Regardless, you'll just have to take my word for the fact that this cake is beautiful. Tasty, too. After all, it's pound cake (which is clearly a grand concoction on its own, what with its dense texture, balanced sweetness, and fine crumb) slathered with a fluffy, smooth cream cheese frosting (unbeatable, and that's the end of that argument) and sprinkled with coconut (perhaps the most tasty of all meats)(just kidding)(or am I?).

It must be said that I usually prefer my coconut toasted, but in this instance, I wanted the as-clean-as-untouched-snow appearance to remain. Little speckles of brown really kinda takes away from that, don't you think? Kinda like yellow spots in otherwise white snow...

Coconut-Crusted Sour Cream Pound Cake
(from good ol' Paula Deen)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 cups coconut

Preheat oven to 325F.
Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. In a smaller bowl, sift the baking soda and flour together. Add to the creamed mixture alternating with eggs, adding one at a time and beating in between. Mix in the vanilla and pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for around 1 hour 20 minutes.

After cake has cooled, slather top and sides with as much cream cheese frosting as you can. Sprinkle Shower with the coconut.

80 comments:

Barbara said...

You've outdone yourself this time, Grace! What a heavenly cake-angelic even. Nothing wrong with your photography-it's perfect; it almost looks too light to be a pound cake. Thought at first it was a sponge cake. If you think I need a first person viewing, I'll be there soon...... ;)

The Blonde Duck said...

All I heard was pound cake. Tell me where, when and how much I can eat.

Anonymous said...

ahh i know right.
im using a DSLR yet i have no knowledge of photography.
i just point and shoot!
but i can imagine what you mean about not capturing its purity.
looks lovely nonetheless :)

Kate at Serendipity said...

Oh. My grandmother used to make coconut cakes. YOU know the kind... this reminds me of that. But she didn't really know the secret of cream cheese frosting. Luckily! Otherwise I'd be as big as a house. Thanks for posting this!

YUM.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

It looks wonderful! So pristine...

Cheers,

Rosa

shaz said...

I think you've managed to capture the "pristinesness" of it perfectly Grace. And I too volunteer for first person viewing if needed :)

George Gaston said...

Looks are in the eyes of the beholder... reading through your recipe; all I see is unbelievable goodness & flavor.

I'd love a slice of your delectable cake, please!

April was in CA now MA said...

I'll be right over. It looks soft enough to take a nap on...after I've eaten half of it and go into a sugar coma.

Ciao Chow Linda said...

I'm ready to dig in - I think the picture looks inviting, especially with that coconut on top.

vanillasugarblog said...

just reading the list of ingredients I can easily see how buttery this must taste.
not fattening right? ok cool

Dolce said...

The picture looks yummy enough to me!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

NOT what I needed to see before lunch!

:)
ButterYum

Jennifer said...

That looks pristine and gorgeous! I have never made a pound cake, but this looks like the one I should!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Q: How do you make a sour cream pound cake even better?
A: Add coconut and have Grace make it! :D

LilSis said...

It looks perfect to me! I love coconut, toasted or not. This jewel is going in my Delicious cookbook!

Pam said...

You had me at coconut crusted. This cake sounds amazing. P.S. You take GREAT photos.

Anonymous said...

It's gorgeous and sound absolutely heavenly! I love the coconut crust!

oneordinaryday said...

Grace! You didn't really go there... yes, you did. Yellow snow?! LOL

Your cake looks lovely. So glad you didn't deface it with brown flecks of toasted coconut! : )

Hungry Dog said...

This looks beautiful--don't sell yourself short on the photography! The picture makes me want to eat it, so I'd say you did a good job. Frosted poundcake, why didn't I think of that?

Melleah said...

To be honest, I'm not a huge face of coconut cake (too much coconut for my taste), but this looks like it has just the right amount! My husband would love this-- pound cake and coconut cake rolled into one!

maybelle's mom said...

when can I come over to get a look at that cake? it looks pretty good int he photo; can't imagine it is better in real life.

Lindsey@pickyeatings said...

White food is so hard to photograph, no matter what kind of setup you have.

Lisa-Marie said...

I must have this! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Heather said...

i looooooooove sour cream in desserts! looks so good :)

Melanie said...

Oh dear, anything that has coconut-crust in the title has me from hello.

And thanks for the yellow spots in the snow laugh.

Albany Jane said...

I know what you mean with the camera! I keep taking pictures of things that look much brighter/whiter and end up coming out yellower in pictures. I'll bet this beauty was pristine as snow!

Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer said...

It should be titles a picture of perfection!! Looks incredible.. Paula would be proud!

Cheryl Wray said...

I am a big fan of sour cream based pound cake. Absolutely delicious!! I may need to try this one next.

A question...
I wonder if you can make pound cake cupcakes? I'm not sure why you couldn't, but I've never seen it done. Hmmm.

Marjie said...

I just adore pound cake! I've come up with my own sour cream pound cake recipe, and it's divine, but I've never tried frosting a pound cake before. Talk about packing on pounds! Beautiful concoction.

Gloria Baker said...

I love your cake picture dear Grace and I can imagine perfectly how look this lovely and pure Cake, love it!! xgloria

Palidor said...

I think you did a great job with the cake and the picture! I can see just how delicious that cake is, although I'm sure it looks even better in person. Love the coconut outside!

Unknown said...

Coconut cream cheese frosting! What more is there left to be said. Heaven on a plate that cake!

lisa is cooking said...

Wow, does that look delicious! It is snowy, white perfection, and the coconut sounds fantastic.

Bunny said...

I could just sit here and stare at that picture Grace, I love the white on white, gorgeous!

Leslie said...

Uh yeah..dont eat the yellow snow! But I will take a few slices of your cake!!! WONDERFUL

pam said...

Well, I don't really like coconut, but even so, this looks delish!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

I think that cake looks really good. I would take a bit piece :)

Sharon said...

Oh, its purdy to me!

Paula said...

Oh yeah, this is heaven on a plate! I am a pound cake fan, cream cheese fan, and coconut fan. This would be very difficult for me to share ... I'd want it all. All. Of. It. YUM!

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

I agree with you on the cream cheese frosting...can't be beat. Your cake is a picturesque landscape.

Lyndas recipe box said...

I think you captured this marvelous cake perfectly; soft, dense cake, covered in to-die-for cream chese frosting and tender, sweet cocnut. A very drool worthy masterpiece, Grace!

Kristen said...

It looks absolutely divine; the photo looks quite tasty actually!

Rebeca said...

Sour Cream Pound Cake is my absolute fave... It's the first my grandma taught me to make from scratch so it's extra special... add some coconut and I'd be the happiest girl on Earth :)

Sugar Crawler said...

i liiiike your blog :)

noble pig said...

I also love pure whie coconut on my white cake! Beautiful.

foodhoe said...

mmmm, sour cream pound cake with cream cheese frosting? Wow! And how perfectly your camera captures the delicate tendrils of coconut flakes on that delicious sugary frosting...

velva said...

That photo speaks for itself! YUM! I would keep taking small pieces until that cake was completely gone! The coconut flakes just sends it over the top.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

It looks pristine Grace.

Kerstin said...

Pound cake with coconut frosting sounds so decadent and delicious! It just look just perfect.

Unknown said...

oh man....coconut cream cheese icing? Im drooling!

giz said...

Right off the top of my head I can think of several places I would use this cake - that makes it versatile as well as gorgeous and earns a ranking in the "this is perfect" category. Really beautiful Grace.

Donna-FFW said...

yellow spots in snow.. too funny..

This looks beyond fabulous!

unconfidentialcook said...

It sure looks good to me!!!

The Blonde Duck said...

I could also eat my weight in candy corn. In fact, I feel an ode coming on for Halloween week...

Cate O'Malley said...

I've heard a lot of good things about this cake - it certainly looks delicious!

Foodie with Little Thyme! said...

Beautiful and yum!

Emily said...

It's so pretty! I love coconut cake. I'll have to remember this recipe for sure.

Chef Jeena said...

A piece of sonwy heaven if you ask me. This is my kind of cake I love it!

You made me chuckle about the spots in the snow... :-D

Kate at Serendipity said...

Grace, I've nominated you for a blog award!

Robin said...

My oh my this is some cake. And yes coconut is the tastiest of all meats! Love it!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

It is purdy! Save me a piece, will ya?!
~ingrid

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

pass me a fork, if you please.

Sophie said...

I think it looks fluffy as a cloud! Beautiful cake. I love how spongy it looks.

Sandy said...

Um, anything w/coconut I love! Who eats all this food? Just you? :)))

Juliana said...

Oh! THis cake looks so yummie, I can almost taste it :-)

oneordinaryday said...

Hey, Grace, I left you a "surprise" on my blog. Go see!
~Michelle

Lisa said...

Mmmmm! That does look beautiful. I'm overlooking the coconut and thinking how lovely it would be to have a bite of that velvety cake!

kimberleyblue said...

it looks pretty white and delicious to me - i'd take a slice (or the whole cake...)!

I rarely use coconut in baking...I should definitely fix that...

Jacque said...

I can tell it was perfect! Mmm, sounds good too, and I don't even love coconut that much. Must be that picture! :)

Peter M said...

Cake from the Gods, seventh heaven but the pal above has spammed you in Chinoise!

Amanda said...

Fabulous!

Kathy Walker said...

This sounds wonderful. Coconut cake is one of my favs and frosting? On pound cake? What a great combo.

Lori said...

Wow, oh wow. That looks delicious. I just love coconut cake and I agree- pristine white is just right.

Unknown said...

I could definitely gain a few pounds if this was near me. Your picture captures its deliciousness perfectly :)

The Liberty Belle said...

...I have never wanted a slice of cake so bad in all my life. It looks mouth wateringly delish!

Deborah said...

Ummmm - coconut - cream cheese - pound cake - sour cream - could it get any better???

Cheri said...

This cake does remind me of snow. It is gorgeous! I will have to give this a try because it just sounds too good.

Susie said...

I have been away and you have been busy! This looks so good, gotta love cream cheese frosting ;). This looks oh so delectable, you have completely captured the pure white fluffiness of it, mmmmm. Afternoon tea isn't far away, thank god, cos now I have a hankering for cake.

Jaime said...

picture looks great to me :) i love coconut!

Vera said...

The cake looks awesome! It must taste super-delicious too!