Most of my recipes are bursting with strong flavors: coffee, chocolate, nuts! Usually I’m all for full flavor and strong tones. But then there are days where I want something beautifully simple. I want a slice of subtle smooth cake that pairs nicely with a freshly brewed cup of coffee. This is that cake. A coconut cake with a base made of cream cheese or yogurt or even sour cream! Don’t fret, I’ve tried all three and they have all turned out equally delicious. So if you don’t have one ingredient, there’s still no reason to not bake this beauty! You have two other options!! If you don’t like the calories on adding cream cheese, opt for the yogurt! Either way you decide to whip this up, it’ll be gone by the end of the day.
If you have seen any of my previous recipes, you know I’m a sucker for coconut. I know it’s either a full love or full hate ingredient- though I’m seriously unsure why! Who doesn’t love that coconut flavor and perfect flaky goodness?! But baked into this cake, it’s so subtle and yet so smooth. It provides the perfect light flavor to compliment any pairing you choose. Feel free to use this recipe as a base for a more intricate dessert- such as a fruit trifle, because can you just imagine how wonderful a fruit trifle would be with coconut cake swapped in for the normal vanilla poundcake?! Or you can choose to decorate the top of this coconut cake with fresh fruit or whipped cream. Personally, I didn’t have time (well patience I should say) to decorate this baked beauty cause I cut into it as soon as it cooled down enough! Who can blame me? Bake it for yourself and you’ll see what I’m talking about!
Coconut Cream Poundcake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 4 oz cream cheese OR yogurt OR sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a mixer with paddle attachment, add butter, sugar, and cream cheese (or yogurt or sour cream). Blend on medium speed until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time and continue to blend.
- Add both extracts, flour, baking powder, and coconut flakes. Mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Pour into lightly greased pan of choice. Bake on middle rack for about 1 hour, or until knife inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature.
