I have always loved pound cake. I love it plain, glazed, grilled, with fruit, with whipped cream, warm, cold…
I love pound cake!
The thing I really love about this pound cake is that it stays moist and tastes delicious!
I need to tell you up front that this recipe is a process. There are lots of steps. It takes a lot of time. You may as well go ahead and get out every measuring cup and measuring spoon that you own. Most of the ingredients, however, are things you probably already have on hand. One of the things I love most about this cake is that it uses a boxed cake mix as its base. I use a super-moist yellow cake mix.
You will probably read this recipe think it’s way too much to do for a cake.
But it is TOTALLY worth it!
Ready? Let’s go!
Coconut Pound Cake with Caramelized Coconut
Cake:
- 1/2 cup of butter (usually a stick), softened to room temperature
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons of rum extract
- 2 teaspoons of coconut extract
- 2/3 cup of water
- 1 cup of ricotta
- 1 yellow cake mix
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
Bottom Glaze:
- 1/3 cup of butter (5 1/3 tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 2 teaspoons of coconut extract
Top Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup of canned coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon of coconut extract
Toasted Coconut:
- 1/2 cup of sweetened coconut flakes
Caramelized Pineapple:
- 1 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 firmly-packed cup of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- the rest of the stick of butter you used for the Bottom Glaze
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 10-cup Bundt pan REALLY well with baking spray.
Cake: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add rum and coconut extracts and water. Mix in ricotta. Beat in the cake mix and flour and mix until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth it evenly. Bake for 60-80 minutes or until a long toothpick inserted into the middle part of the cake comes out clean.
Bottom Glaze: During the last 15 minutes that the cake is baking, combine butter, sugar, water, and coconut extract in a medium-sized sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Do not boil.
When cake is done, use a long skewer to poke 20-25 holes in it. Pour the butter sauce all over the cake. It will pool around the edges and on the sides. Leave the cake alone for 15 minutes to allow the glaze to soak in and the cake to cool. Invert the cake onto a cake plate. Allow to cool completely.
Top Glaze: After cake is cooled, combine the powdered sugar, coconut milk, and coconut extract in a small bowl. Stir until well-mixed. It should be the consistency of Elmer’s glue. Drizzle all over the top of the cooled cake. Use extra glaze on individual slices, if you want.
Toasted Coconut: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut evenly onto a small sheet pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring about halfway through, until coconut is golden brown. Sprinkle over the top of the glaze.
Caramelized Pineapple: In a saucepan or small skillet, combine the pineapple, brown sugar, salt, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and continue boiling at medium heat, stirring every few minutes, until all of the liquid is gone from the bottom and the pineapple has a syrupy appearance. Spoon over individual slices of cake.
Yeah, yeah, I know. It seems like an awful lot of work to go through for a slice of pound cake.
It’s worth every second!
Moist pound cake laced with coconut flavor. The bottom glaze makes the bottom and sides slightly crunchy. The top glaze drenches the cake in sweetness. The toasted coconut adds awesome texture and flavor. And the pineapple? It is the perfect finishing touch.
You will not regret a minute you spend on making this cake. One bite is all it takes.
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