Sweet Treats: Brown Sugar Coconut Pound Cake

A few years ago my college roommate sent me a copy of her Junior Service League cookbook. Entitled Oh My Stars, the women of the Roanoke JSL really created a new standard for this time honored recipe format.

I've loved this book and many of our family favorites were culled from its pages.

For this week's post I've taken the Coconut Pound Cake (found on page 169 if you are lucky enough to have snagged a copy) and made one minor change: I swapped out the white sugar for light brown.

I think it gives the cake a nutty taste that is richer than the cake made with white sugar.

It's a simple recipe, heavy on the eggs. Or "Aaaa-yigs" as they probably say down in Virginny.

Ingredients:

3 sticks butter, at soft room temperture
3 cups light brown sugar, really packed into the cup
6 eggs at room temperature
3 cups flour, stirred together with
1/4 teaspoon baking soda and
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream at warm room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 7 ounce package sweetened coconut flakes, divided
1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 345 degrees.

Grease and butter a standard sized bundt or tube pan

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add half the flour mixture and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix again. Add the rest of the flour mixture and stir to combine, making sure everything is well mixed. Stir in all but 1 ounce of the coconut by hand. Set aside the remaining coconut for garnish.

Spoon into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, checking frequently in the last 10 minutes. Remove before cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Set the timer for 10 minutes and let cake cool in pan. Flip pan over onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Put powdered sugar in a wire mesh strainer and hold over the cake. Tap the sides of the strainer to sprinkle a light even coating of sugar over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the reserved coconut.

Makes 16 servings. Stays moist on the counter for at least 4 days if well covered, and if your family aren't a bunch of pigs.