Coconut Buttermilk Pound Cake

Today has been the best Saturday ever. I had no plans, not one thing on the calendar. It was glorious. So far I've spent the day cooking, baking, cleaning, watching football, and relaxing on the couch. Not exactly in that order of course. Needless to say, it was just what I needed. The last several weeks have been so busy that I needed a "time out." Baking is therapeutic to me, so I decided to whip up a coconut buttermilk pound cake. I am so glad I did because it is perfect in every way. It's a wonderful dessert, but I also can't wait to have a piece for breakfast in the morning with my coffee.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, divided

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted, divided

1 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

First, toast the coconut in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Watch it carefully because it can burn quickly!

Keep the oven at 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with baking spray (one that has both oil and flour in it). Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

With your mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes on medium speed. Add vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and 1 cup buttermilk until it's all been added and beat until combined. Fold in 1 1/4 cups coconut.

Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake for approximately one hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan, set on a wire cooking rack, for about an hour. Remove cake from the pan and cool completely. 

Whisk together the confectioners sugar and 2 tablespoons buttermilk and drizzle over the cake. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart - Everyday Food