A Southern Grace: # cake (or, for my friends overseas, £ cake) (and a giveaway)

October 15, 2012

# cake (or, for my friends overseas, £ cake) (and a giveaway)

Yum


Pound cake. Is there any dessert that equals it in its combination of ease and speed of preparation and satisfying, delicious taste? Perhaps. Perhaps not.


One of my favorite aspects of pound cake is that it's made with things any baker will most definitely have on hand. Though you do need a mixer of some sort, the whole thing comes together quickly and with minimal effort. It's highly adaptable, welcoming any flavor one might be craving, whether that be almond, chocolate, lemon, or, in this case, coconut.


Yes, this is my favorite of all pound cakes. Even without considering the flavor, the cake is not overly sweet and the crumb is perfection. Not only does it take on the coconut flavor because of the extract, but by adding shredded coconut to the batter, you're also providing an interesting element of texture to the whole cake. Throw on a glaze and some toasted coconut, and just like that, you have a masterpiece on your hands table.

Name that movie!

But you came here for a giveaway, didn't you! You also want to hear about an awesome new cookbook, don't you! Southern Living has published Southern Living Home Cooking Basics: A complete illustrated guide to Southern cooking, and it is quite impressive. The book includes sections about things like types of kitchen equipment and paraphernalia, how to purchase and prepare basic ingredients, and tutorials on most of the methods involved in cooking. Plus, there are recipes. Oh-so-many stellar recipes. Dishes like okra panzanella (that's with fried okra, of course, and there's a how-to on that!), maple coffee, and Brandy Alexander cheesecake. Is your interest piqued? I should hope so.


If this pound cake is any indication, the recipes from this book deliver successful and delicious down-home food. Want to win a copy? Leave a comment below telling me for whom you're planning to vote in the upcoming presidential election and why. JUST KIDDING. I jest, I jest. Tell me your favorite Southern dish. Even if you're completely unfamiliar with America and have no idea what qualifies as Southern, give it your best shot. I might have to say pulled pork barbecue, but ask me again in an hour and I'll probably have a different answer. :) Comments will close in one week, on October 22th. Good luck!

Coconut Sour Cream Pound Cake
Adapted from Southern Living Home Cooking Basics: A complete illustrated guide to Southern cooking
Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons milk, more if needed
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted
Directions:
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, about 5 minutes.
Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda; mix in coconut.
Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition.
Stir in extract.
Pour into a greased and floured 12-cup tube pan.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.
Remove cake from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.
To make the glaze, add milk to the powdered sugar until proper consistency is obtained.
Drizzle over cooled cake, then top with toasted coconut.

49 comments:

Beth said...

Your cake looks sensational!

You didn't mention whether you're accepting international entries, so I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that you do. Favorite southern dish? Buttermilk biscuits would be right up there, as would pulled pork. I don't know if this is too far south, but key lime pie would probably top the list for me!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Coconut ranks right up there with lemon for me.My favourite Southern food would be fried green tomatoes.

Unknown said...

Chicken fried steak! Sooo bad but sooo yummy:)

Katerina said...

I agree with you regarding pound cake. It's easy, tasty, with ingredients you always have at home plus you can change it all the time! I love the addition of coconut and the southern dish I love is jambalaya!

april said...

Pulled pork is a definite, but whenever I think of "southern", those delicious cheese and sausage biscuits come to mind.

tamilyn said...

Another idea to bring in for the co-workers. They love to see that floral tote coming across the parking lot indicating they get treats.

As for Southern Cooking-this sounds terrible, but I miss Waffle House! Living in Minnesota, we haven't been to one in almost 15 years. Oh their waffles and hasbrowns-heaven!

April was in CA now MA said...

Pick ONE?! Are you insane? lol Buttermilk biscuits (at least right now). Creamed corn is another favorite (I couldn't help myself).

I WIlkerson said...

Anything with peaches would be my favorite Southern dish. Your pound cake looks delicious! Email is artofnaturalliving at live dot com

Erica said...

The cake looks amazing and I love coconut flavor cakes! My favorite dish from the South is fried chicken with gravy and biscuits!!

pam said...

While this cake looks awesome, I would have to say my favorite southern dish is hoppin' johns!

Pam said...

Oh good Lord that looks AMAZING!

kimberleyblue said...

Oh, that coconut cake looks so dense and wonderful. Love coconut cakes!

I have a sweet spot for macaroni and cheese, especially when it comes with fried chicken.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Tee hee - I read # cake as hashcake! Totally different!

Anonymous said...

i expect it would be biscuits. though that brandy alexander cheesecake you mentioned is sounding pretty good right now ....

fruitcrmble AT comcast DOT net

Valerie said...

Hmm, that's a hard one! I love green chile pepper cornbread, but I also adore anything with okra!

Love Bakes Good Cakes said...

My favorite Southern dish is Sausage Gravy and Biscuits ...... or just some good ol' fried chicken. Mmmmhmmm!!

Tara said...

Biscuits and gravy of course!!

grace-anne said...

Shrimp and grits!

scrambledhenfruit said...

Cresses and cornbread of course. That pound cake is marvelous! :)

Laura said...

I SO AGREE about pound cake--it's why I make it so often. My favorite southern dish.... turtle soup if we are counting New Orleans cooking and if not.... pulled pork for me too but depending on where you are in the south you might not approve of my sauce lol.

I quit on 666 also. The second ep I just realized I was bored senseless. I was kinda disappointed by Arrow but am not giving up yet. I forget if you watch Walking Dead but watched the premiere tonight and screamed so loud I scared my kids upstairs in bed LOL. :D

Mrs. Jansson said...

As a Tennesseean this is easy! Chess squares - hands down my favorite. Not sure what a chess square is? Here's a post from my blog with an explanation, photo and recipe my momma taught me. Enjoy! http://janssonfam.blogspot.com/2009/12/homemade-christmas-gift-ideas-chess.html

Anonymous said...

As a Georgia girl I think it would be blackeye peas and cornbread. Is that one thing? Or two? The coconut pound cake looks amazing.
Linda Owens

Joanne said...

I really love the dense texture of pound cake and coconut sounds like the perfect flavor pairing! I'm a HUGE fan of grits. Like. Huge.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Grace, you know a part of me thinks that I am southern somewhere deep down. I don't know why, but I suspect it's related to desserts! ;)

Barbara said...

The thing I like about # cakes is they freeze a dream. Your coconut cake looks fabulous, Grace.
And so does that cookbook.
My favorite southern dish? Fried chicken and waffles!

Anonymous said...

About the recipe for the coconut sour cream pound cake...did you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
Please reply soon as I am awaiting your answer to make this yummy looking cake!!!

grace said...

@Anonymous: while i used sweetened coconut, i think unsweetened would be fine as well. the end result just wouldn't be quite as sweet. :)

Louisa said...

Yum, the pound cake looks delicious. As for favourite southern food... I'd have to say gumbo, although I've only been lucky enough to try it once! Pulled pork is divine too.

Valerie said...

"There's a hole in this cake" is from My Big Fat Greek Wedding - I always snort (very un-lady-like when I watch it).

My favorite Southern food is pulled pork BBQ with the red pepper vinegar sauce.

kim said...

homemade mac and cheese and cornbreak are my favs!

Elaine said...

Homemade Fried Chicken, rice and gravy with green beans & bacon! Can you tell I'm hungry?

emt817ftw said...

Hands down..fried chicken..just the way my mama used to make it. I've tried so hard to copy her, but to no avail.

Lori said...

Hands down... grits- any way but espoecially my favorite is with an egg mixed in or cheese mixed in. Hmmm mmm mmmm! And as far as elections go, cause I just have to spout off. This is how II decide, eenie meenie miney mo, no but seriously, its like, which is the lesser of two evils.

PG said...

I don't have a lot of experience with southern food. But, I had corn bread once that tasted so good! It was at a banquet, while I was on a trip to Colorado. That night, I actually went on a quest to get more cornbread.

foodhoe said...

I just love poundcake, your coconut pounder looks delicious! My current obsession is fried chicken and waffles... does that count?

The Girl said...

Coconut! LOVE coconut! I guess my favorite Southern food is mac n cheese? Or biscuits and gravy!

Faith said...

I love a nice pound cake and I could go for a thick slice right now!

Hmm, favorite southern food is a hard one! I'd have say mac and cheese...not sure why but I always feel like that's southern. And if not, fried chicken! :)

lisa is cooking said...

That's a delicious-looking pound cake! Love the toasted coconut and glaze on top. I think my favorite Southern dish might be banana pudding or fried catfish and hushpuppies or pecan pie.

Anonymous said...

I love coconut & am making this cake tomorrow for sure.

My favorite Southern recipe is chicken fried steak & country gravy -but for breakfast, biscuits & gravy take the cake ;-)

Debbie
dkal85@aol.com

vanillasugarblog said...

excellent combo ms. grace.
let's just dive right in.
i had the worst healthy muffin this morning for breakfast. well I didn't finish it.
Got it at whole foods, thinking I'm going to try one of those fancy, gluten free, sugar, flour free and taste free muffins, so I can do good for my body.
Grace it was AWFUL. I need pound cake stat!

Julie M. said...

My Big Fat Greek Wedding!! Love that flick. :) Love this cake too - I could seriously go for a bite (or three) of that slice right about now. Of course, if it's Southern Living it pretty much has to be fantabulous. Favorite southern dish? That would have to be a big hearty plate of shrimp and cheddar grits. Yummo!

Rosita Vargas said...

Estupenda receta me gusta especial para un desayuno con amigos,abrazos y abrazos.

Carolyn Jung said...

Now, that is an ode to coconut. Mmm, love how it's used all throughout the cake.

Blond Duck said...

Ben's grandmother always made poundcake!

Lynda said...

I love the looks of this cake Grace-Yummy!And i love Southern Living cookbooks too. As for a favorite southern food, I can't name just one. I want fried okra now that you mention it, and chicken fried steak, and yes, pulled pork, etc.........

Von said...

I always love how you can make everything coconut flavoured- and it sounds so good! :) Definitely giving coconut pound cake a try sometime.....but just a question: is it really just 1/2 cup of butter or did you leave out another number?

Julie B. said...

Favorite Southern dish...
gotta be chicken & dumplins, made by my Mamaw of course

My Paleo Path said...

Love coconut, so can't wait to make this cake!! My favorite southern foods are fried chicken, pecan pie, shrimp and grits, peach cobbler, and a great crawfish boil. Of course, I don't think I've ever met any southern food that I would not eat! Just in my blood! Love your blog and thanks for the contest.

Mary K said...

Wow! To have to pick just one Southern dish is like asking which tooth I want to keep. I love so much about Southern cooking let me just blurt out fried okra and cheese grits. It's hard to get fresh okra here in Southern Calif. so I only get to have fresh okra when I am visiting the South and boy, do I pig out when I get them. I have to say, I can't think of any type of Southern food that I don't like.
on the above coconut cake, my oh my I can't wait to make it!