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

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.