Heavenly Poundcake with Coconut and Nutmeg

We’ve heard whispers on the “dark net” that quarantine calories don’t count. Hmmm. Maybe, and maybe not. But we know for sure that baking is cathartic, and sharing the results is deeply satisfying.

We adapted a poundcake recipe handed down from an old friend’s grandmother to give it a deeper flavor profile. Try it. You’ll love it as much as we did.

Ingredients

Cake

1 c Butter

2 1/2 c Sugar

4 Eggs

1 T Vanilla extract

1 t Rum extract

1 t Almond extract

Nutmeg

1/2 c Sour cream

2 1/4 c Flour

1 1/4 t Baking powder

1/4 t Salt

1 c Shredded coconut

Drizzle

1 c Sour cream

1/4 c Calvados or apple brandy

1/4 c Sugar

Instructions

Let’s start with the French concept of “mise en place,” which requires the cook to measure and prepare all ingredients so that everything you need is in front of you. Begin with the butter, eggs, sour cream. Measure the butter and sour cream and put them in bowls on your countertop. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Then move on to everything else.

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

Now make yourself a cup of coffee. Drink it slowly. And now you can begin the recipe.

Why the fuss about mise en place? Why the coffee? It’s really important that all the ingredients be at room temperature when you make the batter. This is a dense cake that bakes for a long time, and you don’t want a cold batter going into the oven.

Cream the butter and sugar until they’re a bit fluffy. Add eggs and beat well.

Add sour cream and the three extracts and three pitches of nutmeg. Beat well.

Add flour, salt and baking powder. Beat well.

Add coconut and beat for a 30 seconds. With a spatula, be sure that coconut is evenly combined with batter.

Pour batter into the greased and floured Bundt pan. Transfer to oven and back for just over an hour. Don’t peak. It won’t be done any sooner!

Test with a wooden skewer. Sometimes an extra few minutes is required. When the skewer emerges dry, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. With a butter knife, very gently separate the cake from the sides of the pan. Turn the Bundt pan over onto a cake plate. Tap here and there until the cake drops onto the plate.

Whisk the drizzle ingredients together. Quickly grill some fresh fruit. Spread a tablespoon or two of drizzle onto a dessert place. Cut a still warm slice of the cake and put it on top. Drizzle more onto cake. Garnish with fruit.

You’re going to love this cake!

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